Gareth Southgate says it’s "‘horrible" and "a great shame" that some sections of England’s fanbase won’t feel comfortable enough to travel to Qatar for the World Cup in November.
And the Three Lions boss has urged organisers to go further — much further — to prove that everyone will be welcome in a country that has an appalling human rights record. Southgate will address his players this week in a bid to educate them about some of those issues.
He will shine a light on those being faced by women and the LGBTQ+ community in particular — issues which, for now at least, look set to keep so many Three Lions supporters away.
Southgate said: “I’m quite clear on the areas of concern about this tournament. The building of the stadiums was the first and there’s nothing we can do about that now. They’re built. There are obviously ongoing concerns about the rights of workers and the conditions they live in and those areas.
“It seems universally accepted that’s better than it was but not in the position where people think it could be. And maybe policies that have been put in place are not always enforced as they might be. Then there are the issues that potentially threaten our fans when they travel: the rights of women and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in particular.
“Sadly, through discussions I’ve had, I don’t think some of those communities are going to go and that’s a great shame. We stand for inclusivity as a team and it would be horrible to think some of our fans feel they can’t go because they feel threatened or they’re worried about their safety.
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“There needs to be some clarity and some better communication that they are going to be safe, because they’re not feeling that. So what we’re going to try to do with the players is highlight that we think those are going to be the key areas. There might be one or two others, too. We’ve got to prepare the players the best we can to make the best possible decisions that they can.”
Amnesty International have accused the FA of being overly complacent on the subject of human rights issues in Qatar. But Southgate added: “I don’t think any of us are complacent about any of it. I’m certainly taking it very seriously. I want to make sure the players are protected, I want to make sure they are able to use their voice in the right way.
“But I also don’t want them to be used with broader agendas at play perhaps. So it’s going to be complicated. And we’re going to get some criticism whatever we do, but we’re going to try to do the best that we can. FIFA decided where this tournament was going to be played and we’re going to a country that is culturally different and religiously different.
“So there are some things we’re not going to be able to affect. Maybe there are some things that we can affect. If we can and we think they’re worthwhile, then we’ll try to do that. Without a doubt, one of the priorities in my mind is our own fans and how they’re going to be dealt with in particular.”
