Dylan Bettencourt
Football fans will face seven years in prison if they are caught having sex with a person who is not their spouse at this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
As sex outside of marriage is illegal in Qatar, fans attending the showpiece will have to abide by the rules or face a lengthy spell in jail.
“There definitely will be no one-night stands at this tournament,” a police source told Daily Star.
“Sex is very much off the menu, unless you are coming as a husband and wife team. There will be no partying at all really. Everyone needs to keep their heads about them, unless they want to risk being stuck in prison.”
Although the sentence is reducible to only one year, fans have still been urged to be cautious during their stay.
“There is essentially a sex ban in place at this year’s World Cup for the first time ever. Fans need to be prepared,” the source added.
Any form of public intimacy or show of affection in Qatar could also lead to arrest.
Homosexuality is illegal in the Arab nation and can be punishable by seven years in prison.
Fifa has however stated that “all are welcome” when the World Cup kicks off in November.
CEO of the Qatar World Cup, Nasser Al-Khater, stood by the ban on public displays of affection.
“The safety and security of every single fan is of the utmost importance to us,” he said.
“But public displays of affection are frowned upon, it’s not part of our culture – and that goes across the board to everybody.”
The law in Qatar also indicates that any persons found guilty of smuggling drugs into the country could face the death penalty. With an initial punishment of 20 years in prison and a fine of R1.2 million, a repeat offence will see the death penalty implemented.
