The Sydney Swans are seeking answers from their corporate partner, Qatar Airways, after female passengers were subjected to intimate medical examinations at Doha airport.
The AFL club, who have held a sponsorship deal with the airline since 2016, said they were “deeply concerned” by reports last week that women, including a number of Australians, were strip-searched in early October after a newborn baby was found in the terminal.
The incidents – which involved women on 10 flights, including 18 on planes bound for Sydney – caused international outrage and prompted the Qatari government to refer those responsible to the public prosecution office.
“We were deeply concerned by the media reports last week involving the treatment of female passengers at Hamad International Airport in Doha,” a Swans spokesperson told Guardian Australia. “The club has sought more information on the situation and that dialogue is continuing between our two organisations.”
The Swans and the state-owned airline, which also lists Fifa among its global partners, renewed the partnership when an original three-year deal expired last year.
At the time, the Swans came under pressure from the club’s strong LGBTQ+ community to walk away from signing a new agreement. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and the deal was labelled as “hypocrisy” by the ABC commentator Corbin Middlemas, who came out as gay in 2018.
The Swans have carved out a reputation as one of the AFL’s more progressive clubs on social justice issues, and have contested the league’s annual pride game – a celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusivity – since 2015.
The Swans ambassador – and former New South Wales Labor MLC – Meredith Burgmann said the club also had a proven track record on fighting racism and had been successful in implementing an unofficial “no dickheads” cultural policy.
“I’m sure the Swans leadership find it disturbing, but they will wait to see what happens with the inquiry,” Burgmann said. “The Swans have always been good on these issues.”
As part of the ongoing deal with Sydney, Qatar Airways receives prominent branding at Swans home games and their training ground, while players are involved in marketing and promotional activities.
The Swans’ official supporters group said it was taking the airport incidents “very seriously” and also confirmed it was seeking answers from the airline.
Golf Australia, which also lists the airline as a major corporate partner, has been contacted for comment by Guardian Australia.
The political fallout of the compulsory medical examinations in Doha has already been felt, with Australian politicians from the major parties pulling out of a formal dinner at the Qatari ambassador’s residence in protest.
Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, said the incidents were “appalling”, while the Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, said the women’s treatment had been “unacceptable”.
On the announcement of the partnership four years ago, the Qatar Airways chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “We strongly believe in connecting with our global travellers through their passion for sport, and have been looking for the right partner for Qatar Airways in Australia’s sports arena.”
