Aussie football pioneer urges LGBTQI rights to be considered before hosting a World Cup

A country’s stance on LGBTQI rights should be considered before awarding hosting rights for a major sporting event. That is according to Adelaide United’s Josh Cavallo – Australia’s first active male professional footballer to come out as gay.

Cavallo has yet to receive a call-up to the Socceroos squad but has previously said he would be “scared” to play at next month’s FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar, where homosexual activity remains a criminal offence.

The 2018 edition of football’s showpiece event was held in Russia, where a “gay propaganda” law, passed in 2013, has been used to stop pride marches and detain activists.

“I vow to stand up for the LGBTQ athletes and the fans at the World Cup in Qatar, who can’t live openly, authentically,” Australian youth international Cavallo, who was the only active football at the time to come out as gay, said. 

“Qatar, FIFA, the world is watching. Do you see us?

“I urge sport leaders to consider our rights, our safety while choosing host countries for World Cups and other competitions. We must do better.”

Nasser Al Khater, the chief executive of the 2022 World Cup, has said LGBTQI fans coming into the country would not have to worry about “persecution of any sort”, and described Qatar as a “tolerant country”.

The World Cup begins on November 20 and runs through to December 18. 

In Group D, the Socceroos will face defending champions France (November 23), Tunisia (November 26) and Denmark (November 31) at Qatar 2022.