Pompey set to play Qatar SC team in upcoming friendly - but city figures voice concern over country’s human rights record
POMPEY’S upcoming friendly match against the Qatar SC team has been confirmed - but the news has been met with mixed reactions from the city.
Portsmouth FC will play against the Qatari team during their Spanish training camp, taking to the pitch from 4pm on Saturday, July 9.
Officials from Pompey are keen to stress that their opponents are not the Qatar national team, whose fixture with Watford was cancelled after two supporter groups voiced concerns over the country’s human rights record.
However, two Portsmouth figures have expressed unease over the match due to international concern over the country’s treatment of groups such as migrant workers, women, and LGBT+ people – although one has said games like this could be a catalyst for change.
Leader of the Portsmouth City Council, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said: ‘It’s difficult because it is absolutely clear that human rights in Qatar are not great.
‘There are things that people in the UK would expect which do not happen in Qatar.
‘But this is football, and it is the Qatar government making this happen, not the players.
‘Personally I’d prefer them not to play but I think it is for the club to make a decision, not for me.
‘The decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar is the wrong decision, and it’s clear that there were tactics used to get that decision made, but I do not think the football team should suffer.’
However, Tally Aslam, an LGBTQ+ resident of Portsmouth and key figure in Portsmouth Pride, believes that the match could be an opportunity for to demonstrate Pompey’s ideology of ‘inclusion’ to the opposing team.
Tally said: ‘I think there are a lot of issues when it comes to Middle Eastern countries, especially in the construction side of things.
‘I work in construction and can see the health and safety issues, and the human rights problems are not very good.
‘Portsmouth is a very progressive club, accepting of all players regardless of sexual orientation.
‘They are partners with Portsmouth Pride.
‘I think this is a wonderful opportunity for Portsmouth as a club to play against an international team.
‘We can hope the inclusion and ideology at Portsmouth Football Club will rub off on the Qatari team players and make small changes that will turn into larger ones.’