World Cup Journalist Stopped by Qatari Security for Wearing Pride Shirt

A journalist covering the World Cup in Qatar was temporarily detained by security on Monday for wearing a Pride shirt.

“Just now: Security guard refusing to let me into the stadium for USA-Wales. ‘You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed,’” tweeted CBS Sports analyst Grant Wahl, who was wearing a shirt with the Pride colors encircling a soccer ball.

About a half an hour later, Wahl was admitted into the stadium without having to change his shirt.

“I’m OK, but that was an unnecessary ordeal. Am in the media center, still wearing my shirt. Was detained for nearly half an hour. Go gays,” he tweeted.

Qatar has an infamous human rights record that includes persecuting LGBTQ people.

Wahl being delayed entry to the game on Monday comes as FIFA, which runs the World Cup, warned on Monday that teams wearing the “OneLove” armband would be penalized. This has caused several European countries to abandon plans for wearing it.

“FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions

if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play,” said a joint statement from the soccer associations of Germany, Netherlands, England, Belgium, Wales, Denmark and Switzerland. “As national federations, we can’t put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games.”

Wahl’s encounter with security at the World Cup wasn’t his first. Last week, he was asked to delete a photo he snapped in the media center. He refused to do so.