Qatar World Cup: 'Football is leaving behind its LGBT fans'

Steve Lovell said he was torn about supporting England in the World Cup

Days before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar, a fan group has said football is "leaving behind" its LGBT supporters.

Although Qatar says all fans will be welcome without discrimination, homosexuality is illegal there.

Steve Lovell runs Villa and Proud in Birmingham and said the group's members were conflicted about whether or not to engage with the tournament.

"I couldn't be my authentic self over there, I could end up in prison and that's a real moral dilemma," he said.

The LGBT support group surveyed its members to gauge how the fans were feeling in the run up to the first game on Sunday.

"We asked our members, 'if we were to give you a free ticket to Qatar, accommodation, flights, everything, would you go'? And 88% of the responses said no, they wouldn't," Mr Lovell said.

"It's a real conflict," he added. "I don't know whether to support them [England], whether to watch or not watch it, it's difficult."

He said members' mental health was being impacted and Villa and Proud was increasing its events as a result.

"The footballing world can come together and support the World Cup but unfortunately it's leaving behind its LGBTQ+ fans, so we need to be there to support everybody."

The World Cup in Qatar kicks off on Sunday

Qatar's record on human rights and its treatment of migrant workers as well as its stance on same-sex relationships have made it a controversial choice for the World Cup.

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Fifa has written to teams telling them to "focus on the football", not politics, but Mr Lovell said that was "very upsetting".

"To say 'just to focus on the football' is to ignore a part of my life and it's totally disrespectful."

John Paul Kesseler, from Birmingham Blaze, an LGBT football club, agrees.

"Football doesn't exist in a vacuum," he said.

"To say politics shouldn't be a part of football, equality shouldn't be a part of football, is to misunderstand the way the world works."

He said players at the club were "angry" about the World Cup being held in Qatar, although some, including full back Jacob Leeks, still planned to watch the tournament.

"I am going to watch it, it's giving into them if I don't watch it," he said. "It's a personal choice though and not everyone will feel like I do."

The first game of the tournament is to be held on Sunday when Qatar play Ecuador.