Cardiff University professor told to remove rainbow hat at Qatari stadium

She was told wearing it was against UEFA regulations


Cardiff University lecturer and ex-Wales footballer, Laura McAllister was told to remove her “rainbow wall” bucket hat when entering a Qatari stadium.

McAllister, who is a professor of public policy was made to remove her hat on entry to the Wales vs USA game. She told the BBC that she then smuggled it in to the stadium anyway.

A video which has been circling social media shows police officers telling Ms McAllister that she must remove the bucket hat.

When speaking to BBC Breakfast, she said: “It was pretty heavy handed.

“As we were queuing to go into the stadium we’d heard that there’d been issues with some people in front of us who’d been asked to take off their hats to go into the stadium.

“So fortunately a few of us further back in the queue knew what was likely to happen, and sure enough as we went through security we were told by some of the stewards that we couldn’t enter the stadium wearing our rainbow hats.”

McAllister continued to say that her group was told by stadium officials that the request to remove the hat was due to UEFA regulations, but as the Ex-Wales footballer currently works with the body, she explained that she knew this was not accurate. She claims she asked them which regulations they were referring to, but officials did not respond to her question.

She then concluded by noting: “We need to speak for the LGBT people at home who didn’t feel able to come to Doha because of the regime and it’s position on gay rights”

“We’re all horribly compromised by being here so make no mistake, so by being here we also need to make sure we don’t compromise on our values.”

This incident follows an assurance by organisers that fans would be allowed to wear these hats.

The Rainbow Wall, a Welsh football LGBT+ supporters group tweeted about the incident, claiming: “Our rainbow bucket hat. We are so proud of them, BUT news on the ground tonight is our welsh female supporters wearing them in #Qatar are having them taken off them, Not the men, just Women.” 

 FIFA have yet to officially respond to the incident.
Feature Image Credit via BBC

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