An American fan was asked to leave Al Thumama Stadium in Qatar on Tuesday ahead of the United States’ 1-0 win over Iran for wearing a rainbow armband.
American Brian Davis told Danish journalist Rasmus Tantholdt that security at the entrance gates told Davis his armband was fine to wear. It was later when guards confronted him at his seat.
Davis said the guards “twisted my arm” and “were very aggressive.”
“They twisted my arm and were very aggressive” US citizen Brian Davis tells us after got thrown out from #USAvIRN match by Qatari Police a few moments ago because he was wearing a rainbow colored armband. pic.twitter.com/q4aBMLySbz
— Rasmus Tantholdt TV2 (@RasmusTantholdt) November 29, 2022
He was then escorted out of the stadium, but later returned to his seat.
The moment Brian Davis was thrown out from the stadium. @FIFAWorldCup officially said it’s fine to wear rainbow colors at stadiums in Qatar during the World Cup. Qatar police seems to disagree. Who’s in charge? pic.twitter.com/wd4fs8E4Dp
— Rasmus Tantholdt TV2 (@RasmusTantholdt) November 29, 2022
On Wednesday, Davis told Yahoo Sports in a text message: “I’m 100% fine. … I was back in with no issues well before the national anthems.”
We are aware of social media footage of a US national being escorted from the stadium during the Iran v USA match. We can confirm the fan was causing a disturbance and was asked to leave by security. Shortly after, he returned to his seat. No items were confiscated or taken.
— SC News (@roadto2022news) November 30, 2022
The incident is the latest of its kind at the World Cup. A pair of American journalists said they were told to remove rainbow-patterned articles of clothing by authorities at venues. Los Angeles Times reporter Kevin Baxter said he was told a rainbow-colored face mask wasn’t allowed at the USMNT’s training site.
Before the USMNT’s 1-1 draw with Wales, journalist Grant Wahl said he was briefly detained by security over a rainbow shirt he was wearing. Wahl said he was held for about a half hour, and that a security guard “forcibly ripped my phone from my hands.” He was eventually let into the stadium.
LGBTQ rights have been a major focus of the World Cup in Qatar, a country with a poor human rights record where homosexuality is criminalized. FIFA and other organizers have promised that LGTBQ fans and players would be welcome, but issues have arisen repeatedly throughout the tournament. Seven European teams stopped plans to wear rainbow anti-discrimination captains’ armbands after FIFA threatened them with “sporting sanctions.” FIFA also reportedly demanded that Belgium remove the word “love” from the collar of their jerseys.
A protester interrupted a match between Portugal and Uruguay on Monday night by running onto the field with a rainbow flag and a shirt supporting Iranian protesters and Ukraine.
Yahoo Sports’ Henry Bushnell contributed to this story.
