Rafiq, who is gay, says that over time his behaviour became a source of 'terrible shame for my wealthy family'. He signed a deal this year, thought to be worth at least £10 million, to be the media-friendly face of Qatar. The Qataris we interviewed, who spoke about the mental toll of hiding their sexuality, believe a well-judged pronouncement from Kane and Co ahead of the World Cup could stimulate debate and possibly reform. 'If the World Cup improves things marginally then that is good,' he says. Around the time Qatar began lobbying for the rights to the World Cup, stories about women punished under zina laws stopped appearing in state-run papers.

Source: The Nation October 09, 2021 21:56 UTC