Authorities are immediately investigating incidents in which Football Association of Wales employees and Wales supporters had rainbow-colored bucket hats confiscated before the Group B match against the United States.
Fifa reminded the Qataris of their guarantees before the competition that everyone would be welcome and rainbow flags would be permitted during Tuesday’s discussions.
Fifa is highly worried about many incidents surrounding the match, notably the confrontation of Welsh FA personnel and fans by security for bringing headwear into the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium and the confrontation with a US fan carrying a rainbow flag on the metro.
Additionally, the FAW issued a statement expressing its dissatisfaction. On Monday, Wales returned to the World Cup for the first time in 64 years, a momentous occasion for the squad, the nation, and the nation’s most devoted fans, The Red Wall/Y Wal Goch.
“However, the FAW were quite upset by reports that members of Y Wal Goch, including FAW employees, were requested to remove and discard their Rainbow Wall bucket hats before entering the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. These bucket hats were designed in collaboration with FAW.
“The FAW has compiled information regarding these purported instances and will discuss this subject immediately with Fifa.”
Prof. Laura McAllister, a former Fifa council candidate and trustee of the FAW Trust, said it was a “little moral win” that she was able to bring the hat into the stadium in the end.
McAllister, a professor of public policy at Cardiff University, stated, “I pointed out that Fifa had made many statements about supporting LGBT rights in this tournament, and I told them that coming from a country where we are very enthusiastic about equality for all people, I couldn’t take my hat off.” They insisted that unless I removed my hat, we would not be permitted to enter the stadium.
Others were required to give up their headwear. The Rainbow Wall, a Welsh LGBTQ+ support organization, stated on Twitter, “Only women. @FIFAcom ARE YOU SERIOUS!!”
Earlier, US journalist Grant Wahl stated that he was arrested by security personnel for wearing a rainbow-colored shirt to the game. One security guard informed him that he was being protected from fans who may have attacked him for wearing it.
A US supporter flying a small rainbow flag was reportedly attacked on the metro while traveling to the stadium, with the aggressor threatening to “murder” the man since “this flag is prohibited in this nation.”
Last week, Fifa’s head of experiential marketing and promotion, Gerdine Lindhout, guaranteed that LGBTQ+ fans would be secure. She grinned when asked what her message would be to individuals who wished to bring rainbow flags inside the fan festival. “Go for it,” she instructed. This event is a celebration in its entirety.
The difficulties with Fifa’s ticketing app, which caused hundreds of England fans to miss the beginning of their team’s 6-2 triumph over Iran, have yet to be resolved.
Some fans waited in line for paper tickets at a conference center in Doha after realizing that they could no longer access their app after logging out 24 hours prior. On Tuesday, it is believed that these difficulties were still being worked on.
