Josh Cavallo Questions His Safety in Qatar Amidst Dreams of Playing in World Cup
In Qatar, homosexuality is illegal and carries punishments of up to three years in prison and a fine and the possibility of the death penalty for Muslims under sharia law (though there are no known instances of the death penalty being enforced in the past).Cavallo states that this issue “does concern me.” He muses on the possibility of representing Australia at the World Cup and though it would be an honour, “at the same time, the laws clash,” and could put him at risk.“I want to do something really good in my career. I’ve always dreamed of playing for my country at the World Cup, but do I want my life to be in danger?”After his announcement in October, the midfielder received 700,000 messages within the first 30 minutes, including some from football icons.“When I was younger, I woke up to watch them play early in the morning, so it’s nice to see these straight athletes reaching out and saying, ‘Hey Josh, it’s OK’,” Cavallo said.Cavallo has spoken about Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ+ stance and its penalties in the past.