Qatar has been in the headlines recently as another of its rules for visiting fans ahead of the World Cup in late November has caught the public’s attention. After the recent reminders about Qatar’s ban on homosexuality, any single individuals who still wish to watch their team play in person have been warned to not have sex during their stay.
Qatar 2022 sex ban as fans warned they face 7 years in JAIL for one-night stands https://t.co/3x6Vm0Wj5q
— Sun Sport (@SunSport) June 21, 2022
In Qatar, it is illegal to have sex outside of marriage and those who are caught could face a whopping seven years in jail. The Arab nation is known to have extremely strict laws and with the World Cup just months away, the threat of severe punishment for players, staff and fans alike could serve as a massive deterrent to those who previously wished to travel.
You can get arrested at this year's world cup for pre-marital sex because it's against the law in Qatar. As if the $1,600 ticket price wasn't enough to keep me away, now I'm really not going.
— Nick Russo (@Kingnickrusso) June 20, 2022
Other laws travelers should be aware of including a ban on public intoxication, public displays of affection between men and women and even wearing “excessively revealing clothing in public” according to the New York Times.
The award for the least-thought-through-idea ever goes to the World Cup being hosted by Qatar https://t.co/46cpzZ5zyO
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) June 20, 2022
FIFA originally claimed it hoped the World Cup would help push for advancement in terms of human rights issues in the country and unfortunately, it seems those hopes fell on deaf ears.