World Cup organisers under fire over rainbow symbols stance

World Cup organisers faced growing questions Tuesday about whether the rainbow logo can be displayed at the World Cup in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. 

FIFA's president Gianni Infantino said in his opening press conference, "I feel gay" and that "everyone is welcome" at the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world. 

But the early evidence is that when confronted by the rainbow symbol, or even something resembling it, world football's governing body Qatari organisers are deeply uncomfortable. 

Seven European teams, including England and Germany, announced on Monday they were abandoning plans made months ago for their captains to wear a rainbow-themed armband. 

The armbands have been widely viewed as a symbolic protest against laws in Qatar. 

In a joint statement, the teams said they had backed down because "FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions" -- in other words, it would direct referees to show their players a yellow card or even send them off the field of play. 

BBC TV presenter Alex Scott wore the armband anyway as she introduced coverage of the match from the pitch. 

Germany's football association (DFB) said it was examining if FIFA's threat to punish players who wear the "OneLove" armband was legal. 

"FIFA banned us from showing a sign for diversity and human rights. They combined this with massive threats of sports sanctions without specifying what these would be," DFB spokesman Steffen Simon told AFP's sports subsidiary SID. 

"The DFB is checking if this action by FIFA is legal," he added. 

The sensitivity about the issue is not limited to the players at the Qatar World Cup. At stadiums, security staff have ordered spectators to remove items of clothing featuring the rainbow logo. 

Laur