'Welcome & safe' - Message for LGBT supporters ahead of Liverpool's Qatar trip

The founder of Liverpool FC LGBT supporters group Kop Outs has declared he would "happily return" to Qatar ahead of the Club World Cup in December.

Jurgen Klopp's side travel to the Middle Eastern country for the tournament on December 15, entering at the semi-final stage.

It is still illegal to be gay in Qatar and FIFA have received criticism for awarding the Club World Cup, as well as the World Cup itself, to a country with a questionable human rights record.

But Paul Amann, who is Liverpool's LGBT representative, met with Qatari officials to discuss their concerns before flying out to the Gulf State for a three-day visit.

Paul travelled with his husband and, despite initial concerns, admitted he was won over by the "cosmopolitan" nature of Qatar and told the ECHO he'd happily return.

He said: "The night before, my husband didn't want to go.

"He said 'I don't want to go, I don't want you to go, I'm feeling really unsure about all this'. I just had to reassure him. We were there at their invitation and the last thing they'd want is a scandal.

"He accepted that reassurance, but he was clearly nervous until we'd been there for a couple of days. Then we began to realise it's as comfortable as it's going to be.

"We felt welcomed, we felt safe. It was good."

He added: "I've never been somewhere so cosmopolitan. 87% of the population aren't Qatari.

"You don't have an individual country's culture. You have a culture that's informed by the Chinese, Middle East, Africa, European etcetera etcetera as much as it is by the indigenous population."

Paul, who stayed for three days at the invitation of the Qatari Supreme Committee, says he has spoken to other supporters about their concerns.

Asked what message he'd send to LGBT supporters considering making the trip, he said: "Make your own mind up. But I would happily go again. I have every reason to believe people would be safe.

"I've spoken to several people and they've said that the information I've provided has helped them take a decision."

In a statement on the Kop Outs Facebook page, Paul went into further detail on what it was like in Qatar, calling the state a "private country" and detailing their exchange with a gay man working in Qatar.

It reads: "For LGBT+ issues it is important to note that Qatar is a very private country, and respect for that privacy is of the utmost importance. Therefore paranoia is not needed as people will not pry into your personal business. On our arrival, travelling around, checking into the hotel and going to restaurants and shops we felt as welcome as we would anywhere.

"We took the opportunity to speak with a gay man working in Qatar who expressed that he felt valued for his work and safe, he was out to his European but not his Qatari colleagues, with his only complaint that when his partner visited from London, his partner felt it difficult to explain his presence in social situations. He explained that Qatari homes have public space and private space, and this is reflected in social interaction.

"As far as being out, as visitors it felt something akin to a don't ask don't tell era, although when meeting other staff from the SC, we were introduced as a married couple. As guests in Qatar we felt welcomed by our hosts, but we felt the need to exercise discretion in deference to them. Overall we felt safe as gay men."

The ECHO's Ian Doyle visited the Qatar labour camp helping build Liverpool's Club World Cup stadium. You can read our full report into the conditions here.