Qatari official says rainbow flags may be confiscated to "protect" World Cup fans

Fans at the World Cup in Qatar may have rainbow flags confiscated by security in order to “protect” them against perceptions they are “insulting” the society, a senior official has claimed.

Last month, England captain Harry Kane made it clear that Gareth Southgate's squad will seek to raise awareness of those human rights issues. Kane said: "As a nation we want our fans to enjoy the tournament as much as we hopefully enjoy the tournament. And we want them to feel safe and free to watch the games how they please and act how they want to act."

England's LGBT+ fan group Three Lions Pride praised Kane’s comments and also encouraged other members of the squad to "educate, empower and engage" LGBT+ football supporters. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron insisted there was "no place for homophobia" during a 2011 speech urging Qatar to improve its human rights record, while David Beckham becoming an ambassador for the tournament was met with some backlash.

Back in 2015, United States international Robbie Rogers - at the time the world's only known openly gay professional footballer - insisted he did not have plans to boycott the tournament. However, Australian pro Josh Cavallo - the only known active top-flight footballer to come out as gay - last year expressed his concern about the laws in Qatar.

Major General Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ansari - a senior leader overseeing security for the tournament and the chairman of the National Counterterrorism Committee of Qatar – has now said in an interview with Associated Press that fans could have any rainbow flags, promoting LGBT issues, removed from them by security for their own safety.

Al Ansari explained: “If he (a fan) raised the rainbow flag and I took it from him,