Agencies: Nasser Al-Khater, the CEO of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, sparked interaction among activists on social media, following statements he made about welcoming gays in his country during the tournament.

In an interview with Sky News Sports on Thursday, the CEO of the Qatar World Cup, Nasser Al-Khater, answered "yes" to the question of whether his country welcomes gays.

The Qatari official stressed that no one will be exposed to anyone, in a reassuring message to the LGBT community, after the insistence of journalist Rob Harris on asking about the protection of gays and their rights in attendance at the World Cup and expressing themselves openly.

The journalist continued to ask Al-Khater what his message is to those fans who might be worried, saying: "Everyone is welcome, and everyone will feel safe when they come to Qatar," adding in response to a question about whether gay fans can hold hands in a public place, to which Al-Khater replied: "Yes."

Al-Khater confirmed that alcohol will be allowed in specific areas around the stadiums, and the Qatari authorities will also create designated areas where fans who are intoxicated can rest until they regain their activity.

The organizers of the tournament, which kicks off in the Gulf country on November 20th, have struggled to reassure rights groups that LGBT communities will not face any restrictive measures during the World Cup.

There was previously widespread controversy in Europe months ago regarding Qatar’s laws concerning homosexuality, in addition to the issue of alcoholic beverages in fan zones, and the Gulf state faced several criticisms from Western countries and protests.

Qatar is hosting the World Cup finals from November 20 to December 18, 2022, as the first Arab country to host the grand football event, and for the first time in winter in the tournament’s history.