DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Egypt and Irantwo Middle Eastern nations that persecute gays and lesbians, have complained to FIFA about a World Cup game in Seattle planned to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride.
Executives from both countries’ soccer associations publicly criticized the idea of playing the June 26 game at Seattle Stadium, which local organizers said will “provide a once-in-a-lifetime moment to showcase and celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities in Washington.”
In Egypt, the football association issued a statement late Tuesday saying it had sent a letter to FIFA “I categorically reject any activity related to supporting homosexuality during the game.”.
Seattle PrideFest It has been organized in the city since 2007 by a non-profit organization, which set the game on June 26 as a celebration before FIFA conducted the World Cup draw on Friday.
FIFA decided on Saturday to move the Egypt-Iran game to Seattle instead of Vancouver, where both teams’ group rivals, Belgium and New Zealand, will play at the same time.
Organizers in Seattle have already announced an art contest for the game, including a piece in which a rainbow-colored sun rises over Mount Rainier while a goalkeeper crab chases a soccer ball clutching a coffee cup in its claws.
“With the Juneteenth and Pride games, we can show the world that everyone is welcome in Seattle,” Seattle Mayor-elect Kate Wilson wrote on social media. “What an incredible honor!”
FIFA only controls the stadiums and official fan zones in World Cup venues and should have no formal authority over community events like that SeattlePrideFest.
FIFA declined to comment to the Associated Press on Tuesday and did not respond to a question about whether it would consider moving the Belgium-New Zealand game to Seattle.
In Iran, where gays and lesbians can face the death penalty, the president of the Iranian Football Association said, Mehdi Tajcriticized the scheduling of the game during an interview broadcast on state television Monday evening.
Taj said Iran would raise the issue at a FIFA council meeting in Qatar next week. The oldest member of the 37-member council, chaired by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, is Hany Abo Rida of Egypt.
“Both Egypt and we have objected because this is an unreasonable and illogical measure that essentially signals support for a particular group, and we absolutely need to raise this point,” Taj said. State television confirmed on Tuesday that a complaint would be sent to FIFA.
The Egyptian Football Association, led by Ado Ridasaid of the Pride celebration that it “totally rejects such activities that directly contradict the cultural, religious and social values of the region, especially in Arab and Islamic societies.”
He called on FIFA to stop the celebration to “avoid activities that could arouse cultural and religious sensitivity among the spectators from Egypt and Iran in attendance, especially since such activities contradict the cultures and religions of both countries.”
Iran had threatened to boycott the World Cup draw in Washington, DC, over complaints that five of the nine members of its delegation, including Taj, had not been granted visas to enter the United States.
Iranians are subject to a travel ban imposed by the presidential administration Donald Trump And USA In the past, it has denied visas to people with ties to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, such as Taj. Iran eventually sent a smaller delegation, including the team’s coach.
Tensions remain high between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear program, particularly after U.S. warplanes bombed nuclear facilities in the country during Israel’s 12-day war with the Islamic Republic in June. However, unlike the 2022 World Cup, Iran is not scheduled to play the United States in the opening games of the World Cup.
Asked about the complaint on Wednesday, the Seattle Organizing Committee said: “We are continuing our community programming outside the stadium as planned during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament.”.
“The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the largest Iranian-American communities in the country, a thriving Egyptian diaspora and diverse communities that represent all the nations we welcome in Seattle,” spokeswoman Hana Tadesse said in a statement. “We are committed to ensuring that all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect and dignity that define our region.”
The Egyptian police have been persecuting gays and lesbians for years, which in the past has even led to warnings from the app Grindr. Although Egypt does not technically ban homosexuality, authorities often prosecute members of the LGBTQ+ community for “debauchery” or “violating morality.”
Iran also persecutes the LGBTQ community and its theocracy is said to have executed thousands of people because of their sexual orientation since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Former ultra-conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad even declared during a visit to the United States in 2007: “We don’t have homosexuals like in your country.” The audience at Columbia University responded by laughing and booing the leader.
FIFA faces accusations of double standards if it sides with the World Cup team associations and not with the city of Seattle.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA strongly defended the host country’s right to have its cultural norms fully respected by visiting teams.
A group of European federations wanted their team captains to wear a “One Love” armband with several rainbow colors symbolizing human rights and diversity, which FIFA and Qatari officials saw in part as a criticism of the emirate’s criminalization of same-sex relationships. Some Welsh fans had their rainbow hats removed before entering the stadium.
Qatar will also play a European rival, which could be Italy or Wales, at the World Cup on June 24 in Seattle.
*AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report
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