Rainbow flags may be taken to protect fans at World Cup, Qatari official says

A senior Qatari leader overseeing security for the World Cup has told The Associated Press that rainbow flags could be taken off supporters. He says that would be to protect them from being attacked for promoting gay rights.

Major General Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ansari insisted that LGBTQ couples would be welcomed and accepted in Qatar for the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 FIFA showpiece despite same-sex relations remaining criminalized in the conservative Gulf nation.

But Al Ansari is against the overt promotion of LGBTQ freedoms as symbolized by the rainbow flag that FIFA and World Cup organizers had previously said would be welcome across Qatar's eight stadiums.

WATCH | How Canada qualified for Qatar: