FACT CHECK: Is The Code Of Conduct Poster For The World Cup Real?
An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows an official poster with a code of conduct for those visiting Qatar during the World Cup.
Verdict: Misleading
The image is digitally fabricated. These are not official guidelines from the Government of Qatar or the FIFA World Cup organization.
Fact Check:
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is expected to kick off Nov. 20 despite controversy surrounding Qatar as the host of the tournament, according to The Conversation. Russia has been banned from the event due to its invasion of Ukraine while demands for Iran to also be uninvited have increased over to their recent treatment of women’s rights protesters, Fox News reported.
The Facebook image claims to show an announcement for anyone entering Qatar. The poster’s heading reads, “Qatar Welcomes You” and purportedly prohibits, among other things, drinking, homosexuality and dating.
The caption reads, “Hosts of the World Cup btw,” wrote one Facebook user. (RELATED: Did Justin Trudeau Tweet About Limiting Sexual Partners Due To Monkeypox?)
The image is digitally altered. There are no credible news reports that suggest this is an official document. This poster does not appear on the official FIFA World Cup website. The image appears to stem from a group of female Qatari activists called “Reflect Your Respect.”
#Reflect_Your_Respect 🤚🏻🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/3bFwda2fgH
— أظهر احترامك 🇶🇦 (@RYRQatar) October 1, 2022
A spokesperson for the Qatar government responded to Check Your Fact’s request for comment via email, saying, “The ‘Qatar Welcomes You’ graphic circulating on social media is not from an official source and contains factually incorrect information.”
Check Your Fact also contacted FIFA World Cup for comment and will update this piece if a response is provided.
This is not the first time a fake image has been shared on social media. Check Your Fact recently debunked an image claiming to show a CBC article allegedly reporting that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s son has come out as transgender.