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Qatar says it will review its “current and future” investments in London after the World Cup host banned tourism ads for the Gulf nation over laws against homosexuality, UK media said on Saturday.
The ads were to be run on the London Underground, the city’s subway also known as the “Tube”, as well as on buses during soccer tournaments.
Qatar is one of the largest investors in UK capital through its sovereign wealth fund.
How did Qatar allegedly react to the ban?
The ban has been interpreted by Transport for London (TfL), the UK capital’s public transport authority, as “a message from the Mayor’s Office that Qatari businesses are not welcome in London.” Financial Times A Qatar spokesman was quoted as saying.
The spokesperson said FT said Qatar was now reviewing its “current and future investments” in the city.
Sky News quoted a source with knowledge of the review as saying the decision was “another clear example of double standards and virtue signaling to score cheap political points” around the World Cup.
The source said the ban came as a surprise “at a time when other investors are pulling out of London due to economic instability,” a reference to the cost-of-living crisis and the recent run on the British pound that forced the intervention. UK Central Bank.
Why did London ban advertising?
In 2019, London Mayor Sadiq Khan ordered that advertisements referencing countries with the death penalty for same-sex sexual acts be referred to transport regulators to review their suitability for display on trains, buses and other sites.
Qatar is among 11 states with “effective” or “potential” death penalty policies for sexual relations between same-sex partners, along with regional neighbors such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Human Rights Watch, the country’s laws against homosexuality include imprisonment or the death penalty for same-sex relationships, and many LGBTQ people are mistreated upon arrest.
A TfL spokeswoman said any advertising campaigns relating to countries with homophobic laws were “reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”
“Advertising promoting travel to Qatar, tourism to Qatar, or advertising promoting Qatar as a desirable destination will not be considered acceptable at this time,” noted TfL, which encourages World Cup visits.
The transport authority said other ads promoting viewing of the tournament on TV or streaming services are likely to be accepted.
TfL contacted Q22, the organization that oversees the World Cup, and the Qatar Tourism Authority this week to inform them of the ban.
How big is Qatar’s investment in London?
Qatar Investment Authority, the country’s $445 billion (€427 billion) sovereign wealth fund, has spent lavishly on some of Britain’s best-known landmarks and businesses, including luxury store Harrods, the Shard skyscraper and Canary Wharf.
The Gulf state also owns the Savoy and Grosvenor House hotels, a 20% stake in Heathrow Airport and a 14% stake in Sainsbury’s, Britain’s second largest supermarket group.
Qatar feels the heat
Qatar has drawn criticism from rights groups over the abuse of migrant workers building new stadiums for the tournament. Thousands of people died during nearly 12 years of construction and preparations for the Games.
Several national team captains had planned to wear rainbow armbands in support of LGBTQ rights but changed their minds after FIFA threatened the players with yellow cards and possible match bans.
mm/ar (AFP, Reuters)
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