US Soccer Team To Use Pride Logo At World Cup
As the 2022 World Cup in Qatar gets closer, the US men’s soccer team is expressing support for the LGBTQ+ community by displaying a rainbow logo at its training facility, according to LGBTQ Nation.
The logo – a “USA” with rainbow stripes beneath it – is part of the team’s 2020 “Be The Change” initiative to bring attention to important social justice issues, according to Reuters.
“When we are on the world stage and when we are in a venue like Qatar, it is important to bring awareness to these issues and that is what ‘Be the Change’ is about,” head coach Gregg Berhalter told reporters on Monday. “It is not just stateside that we want to bring attention to social issues, it is also abroad. We recognize that Qatar has made strides and there has been a ton of progress but there’s some work still to do.”
The country’s officials and World Cup CEO Nasser Al Khater have both said the country will guarantee the safety of LGBTQ+ visitors as well as fans who display rainbow flags at games. However, the government also said that police may confiscate rainbow flags from fans to prevent them from being attacked by angry locals who oppose LGBTQ+ rights.
The US men’s team will reportedly not sport the rainbow colors while playing in the World Cup, but the logo will continue to adorn areas represented by the team.
“Our rainbow badge has an important and consistent role in the identity of US Soccer,” said spokesman Neil Buethe.
“As part of our approach for any match or event, we include rainbow branding to support and embrace the LGBTQ community, as well as to promote a spirit of inclusiveness and welcoming to all fans across the globe.”
“As a result, locations that we will manage and operate at the FIFA World Cup, such as the team hotel, media areas and parties, will feature both traditional and rainbow US Soccer branding.”
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