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FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 COUNTDOWN :Defending champions France release squad

11 Nov 2022

BY ALEXANDER NETHERTON Eduardo Camavinga and Raphaël Varane have been picked in Didier Deschamps’ French squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. In the build-up to the announcement on Wednesday (9) night on French television channel TF1, there had been speculation that Deschamps would not pick the teenaged Real Madrid midfielder. However, Camavinga is part of the squad that will go to Qatar and will be joined by fellow Real Madrid players Karim Benzema and Aurélien Tchouaméni. There were also places for Liverpool central defender Ibrahima Konaté and AC Milan forward Olivier Giroud. Speaking ahead of the announcement, Deschamps said: “To be totally honest, this has not been the easiest selection. It is the same for all the other national team managers. Players recovering from injury, players who got injured last night, who could get injured tonight. It’s not been the easiest squad list to choose.” There were also places for Kylian Mbappé of Paris Saint-Germain, with Manchester United’s Varane included despite recently suffering from an injury that had led to rumours he would not be included in the tournament. A resurgent Adrien Rabiot of Juventus has also been picked, but the squad is most notable because of the players who are missing. Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kanté’s continued problems with injuries have cost him his place in the squad, and midfielder partner Paul Pogba – back again at Juventus – is not ready after suffering a knee injury. The French 2022 Qatar World Cup squad Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Alphonse Areola, Steve Mandanda. Defenders: Benjamin Pavard, Jules Koundé, Raphael Varane, Presnel Kimpembe, William Saliba, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upamecano. Midfielders: Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouaméni, Youssouf Fofana, Matteo Guendouzi, Jordan Veretout, Eduardo Camavinga Forwards: Kingsley Coman, Kylian Mbappé, Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembélé, Christopher Nkunku World Cup ambassador terms homosexuality as ‘damage in the mind’ BY LEWIS MASON A Qatar World Cup ambassador has described homosexuality as “damage in the mind” as the country prepares for over a million people to arrive from around the world for the tournament. In an interview with German television broadcaster ZDF, former Qatari international midfielder Khalid Salman said: “They have to accept our rules here.” Homosexuality is illegal in the Gulf state, which has led to many players raising concerns about how LGBTQ+ supporters travelling to the event will be treated. Organisers have repeatedly said “everyone is welcome” but Qatar 2022 Chief Executive Nasser al Khater confirmed the Qatari Government would not change its laws on homosexuality and said all visitors are expected to “respect our culture”. A number of team captains – including England’s Harry Kane – have vowed to wear an armband featuring a rainbow heart to support the community, who rights groups say are being discriminated against through Qatari laws. This stance will have been further strengthened by the comments of Salman, who went on to say: “(Homosexuality) is haram. You know what haram (forbidden) means?” When asked to explain why it is haram, Salman said: “I am not a strict Muslim, but why is it haram? Because it is damage in the mind.” Another official promptly stepped in to terminate the interview following this exchange, but organisers of the World Cup have declined to comment. Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was appalled by the interview, saying: “Obviously these comments are terrible.” She visited Qatar last week and said she received security guarantees from her Qatari counterpart, as well as from the Prime Minister, that homosexual fans will be protected during the tournament. Despite Salman’s words, Faeser still expects members of the LGBTQ+ community to be safe in Qatar, saying: “I have no new indications from him (Qatari Interior Minister) now that anything should have changed in this regard.” The country’s human rights record has dominated the build-up to the World Cup, with some calling for teams and officials to boycott the event. Activists gathered outside the FIFA museum in Zurich on Tuesday (8) in support of the LGBTQ+ community. England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy, who was part of the Lionesses’ successful Euro 2022 squad, has said she will not be watching the tournament. However, she hopes the players heading to Qatar use the opportunity to highlight pressing issues, as “sport is a very strong vehicle for change. It’s a World Cup and, for a lot of these players, they might not ever play in a World Cup again, so I can’t comment on them choosing to go because many people would take that same choice,” she said. “But if they can use this opportunity to help bring about change, I think that’s important.” (Eurosport)    


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