June 22, (THEWILL) – During the upcoming 2022 World Cup, the Qatari government has outlawed players and fans having sex outside of marriage and threatened that defaulters will be sentenced to seven years in prison.
In addition to having a strong “no drinking in public” regulation, public affection between men and women is also illegal in the predominantly Muslim country. Although the World Cup is a global celebration of football, the regulations in Qatar may be exceedingly stringent.
“Sex is not the order of the day, unless you come as a couple,” a police source was cited as saying in the British press. “There will certainly be no one-night stands at this tournament. There will be no partying at all, really. Everyone has to keep a cool head, unless they want to risk going to jail. For the first time in the history of the World Cup, sex is banned. Fans need to be prepared.”
However, the authorities are concentrating on a message of openness spearheaded by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, who said recently: “We don’t prevent anyone from coming to Doha with different backgrounds, different beliefs, Qatar is a very welcoming country.
“We have millions of people who come to visit our country and the World Cup is a great opportunity for people from different parts of the world to come and discover our culture.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
