FIFA’s communications director has come out as gay in Qatar

“I’m sitting here Qatar as a gay”, said this Saturday the director of media relations of FIFA, Brian Swansonon the eve of the commencement of 2022 World Cup in the small emirate, where homosexuality is criminalized.

It was at the end of FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s long and surprising press conference that Bryan Swanson stood up to defend his boss, a victim in his eyes of “criticism” coming “especially from the LGBTQ+ community”. .

“I would like to say something using this platform. I feel here in Qatar in a privileged position, in front of the whole world, as a gay man.” The Scotsman said he believed Doha’s assurances that all visitors, regardless of sexual orientation, would be “welcome”.

“We have received assurances that everyone is welcome and I think that will be the case in this World Cup,” he continued, on the eve of the start of the tournament on Sunday, with Qatar-Ecuador.

Qatar World Cup organizers have ensured for several years that members of the LGBTQ+ community will be welcomed without discrimination during the tournament, despite laws criminalizing homosexuality and extramarital sex.

A certainty was reaffirmed this Saturday by Gianni Infantino: “If someone says otherwise, it is not the opinion of the country, and it is not the opinion of FIFA”, declared the Italian-Swiss leader.

“It’s not because Gianni is not gay that he doesn’t care about this issue,” defended Bryan Swanson, a former Sky Sports reporter who became FIFA’s director of media relations in 2021.

“I thought a lot about sharing this or not. At FIFA we value everyone. We are an inclusive organisation. I have some gay colleagues. I am very aware of the debate and I fully respect the right of others to think differently different. I understand . But I also know what they are fighting for.”