Having been referred to as Qatar’s first person to come out publicly as gay, Dr. Nasser Mohamed thought having the World Cup on his home soil was the perfect opportunity to shed light on the country’s mistreatment of LGBTQ2+ people. Mohamed has claimed asylum in the U.S. out of fear of persecution in Qatar because of his sexual orientation. The 35-year-old primary care physician formed the Proud Maroons ahead of the World Cup. It’s an LGBTQ2+ soccer supporters club for Qatar’s national team, named after the color of the team’s uniforms. As the tournament rolls on, Qatar continues to face global scrutiny for its criminalization of homosexuality. Despite the Qatari government saying all fans are welcome, visitors are told to respect the country’s culture, with displays of affection being frowned upon.