Former Sky Sports reporter Bryan Swanson says he 'feels safe' in Qatar as a gay man as he came out defending FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
The Scot, who these days works as FIFA's director of media relations, addressed a press conference after Infantino had launched into a robust defence of Qatar's laws, their treatment of homosexuals and migrant workers and FIFA's decision to award the country the World Cup in 2010.
The rights of the LGBTQ+ community and migrant workers in Qatar have been heavily in focus in the years leading up to the finals, particularly in Europe - but Infantino highlighted Europe's own shortcomings on social issues and their current immigration policies.
The FIFA president said in his speech: "Today I have strong feelings. Today I feel Qatari, I feel Arab, I feel African, I feel gay, I feel disabled, I feel a migrant worker." However the comments were met with a short shrift by many in the audience, but Swanson was quick to defend Infantino.The former Sky Sports News reporter, who is originally from Edinburgh, announced: "I am sitting here as a gay man in Qatar.