If England fans dress as crusaders, they won’t be allowed into stadiums in Qatar, which is holding the FIFA World Cup.
A few England supporters were spotted donning crusader attire during the match against Iran on Monday in the capital of Qatar, Doha. This sparked outrage on social media, calling for a ban on such attire.
Notably, for historical reasons, crusader garb is prohibited in Muslim nations. It brings to mind the tragic past of violent Christian incursions into Muslim nations in the 11th to the 13th century in an attempt to seize control of Jerusalem and the surrounding areas that was under Islamic rule.
Similar attire was worn by England supporters at other athletic events. However, as evidenced by social media recordings, when numerous spectators dressed as crusaders showed up at England vs. Iran’s FIFA World Cup game, they were turned away by officials.
If England supporters dress in crusader imitation costumes that are deemed culturally offensive in a Muslim nation, they would be denied entry to both Friday’s World Cup game in Qatar against the United States and future tournament games, informed FIFA, which was quoted by news agency Reuters.
According to a FIFA official, ‘These costumes in an Arab or Middle Eastern setting can be viewed as disrespectful, so that’s the reason they’re not allowed in stadiums.’
Post Your Comments