- Numerous staff of the Wales national soccer team are boycotting this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
- They say they are doing so because of the country's stance on gay rights.
- Being homosexual is illegal in Qatar and punishable by death.
Members of the Wales national soccer team staff are boycotting this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar because of the country's anti-gay laws.
Being homosexual in Qatar is illegal and punishable by death, and discrimination and violence against LGBT+ people is rife.
Qatar has insisted the 2022 World Cup is a "tournament for everyone." But in October, it proposed the introduction of tests to prevent members of the LGBT+ community from entering the country.
Head of Welsh soccer Noel Mooney told BBC Wales that the team plans to use the tournament as a "platform" to discuss human rights in Qatar, but some staff have opted not to travel there.
"They're not going to go to the tournament, which is absolutely their right to do so," he said.
"The vast, vast majority of people will go and understand also our position that it is a platform to try to improve life there and to have good dialogue on issues like human rights and migrant workers.
"So, we're looking forward to playing a full part in that and getting clarity on any outstanding issues for travelling supporters."
Wales qualified for its first World Cup since 1958 earlier this month when it beat Ukraine in a play-off.
After the match, some members of the Rainbow Wall, Wales' official LGBTQ+ supporters' group, said they would not travel to Qatar to support the team due to fears for their safety.
Mooney said the Rainbow Wall "will be front and center" of Wales' thoughts as it plans for this World Cup.
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said last week that the country should use its opportunity to raise human-rights issues with Qatari authorities "while the eyes of the world" are on the country.
"We are absolutely delighted that Wales will be represented at Qatar, but we should not look the other way from the reservations that we would have as a nation from some of those human rights issues that we see there," Drakeford told the Welsh Parliament.
The Qatar World Cup kicks off on November 21 when Senegal take on the Netherlands at the Al Thumama Stadium.
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