Dispute between London and Doha. Qatar has decided to launch a review of its main investments in the English capital, as it was learned this Friday financial timesfollowing the decision of the public operator Transport Manager of London (TfL) to reject any advertising campaign to promote travel to Qatar, due to its legislation towards LGBT+ people.
This boycott of TfL “is interpreted as a message from the Mayor of London that Qatari investments are no longer welcome in London,” according to an anonymous source involved in this examination and quoted by the financial times.
Qatar interpreted this refusal as a sign that “Qatari investments are not welcome in London,” according to this source.
English watchdog society on the subject since 2019
The London company said on Saturday that it considered unacceptable the presence on its buses, trains and subways of advertisements extolling Qatar as a tourist destination or promoting certain events in the country.
“Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, we have provided our advertising partners and brands with additional guidance on what advertising we consider acceptable during the tournament,” a TfL spokesperson said.
Since 2019, the company has already been studying, on a case-by-case basis, advertisements from countries cataloged by the International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People (ILGA) as likely to condemn sexual relations between people of the same sex as a penalty of death. Qatar is one of 11 affected countries, along with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Sudan and Afghanistan.
Qatar particularly criticized in the World Cup
In the context of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, TfL advises that advertisements “promoting travel to Qatar, tourism to Qatar and presenting Qatar as a desirable destination are not considered acceptable.”
Similarly, ads that “encourage people to attend matches in person or encourage people to attend other events in Qatar will not be considered acceptable.”
Since the start of the World Cup, Qatar has suffered an onslaught of criticism over human rights, particularly those of LGBT+ people.
The first country in the Middle East to host the competition, the ultra-conservative country has ensured that all fans will be welcome without discrimination, even though its laws criminalize homosexuality. However, FIFA has threatened sanctions against teams wearing the “One Love” diversity armband during matches.
Source: BFM TV
