Sam Morsy rainbow armband: What does controversy tell us about football, religion and LGBTQ+ rights?

There is variation among clerics on the relationship between Islam and homosexuality. Some interpretations of Islam are more conservative, while some are more liberal.

In many modern Muslim countries there are restrictions on homosexual relationships. In Egypt, homosexuality is not criminalised, but was described as “highly stigmatised” by a 2023 BBC News investigation.

Different interpretations of religious texts in other major religions such as Christianity and Judaism means followers can have varying views about homosexuality.

A person’s religion does not inherently define their view of LGBTQ+, and not all followers of any one religion believe exactly the same things.

Many religious people also identify as LGBTQ+.

Diego Garcia Rodriguez, research fellow at the University of Nottingham and author of Gender, Sexuality and Islam in Contemporary Indonesia: Queer Muslims and their Allies, told the BBC that clubs and players can help forge an increased understanding between football and religion.

“What we have traditionally witnessed is the dominance of conservative interpretations of the Qu’ran,” he said. “But if you look at the work of progressive Islamic scholars too, there is an emphasis on justice, on compassion. There are many Islamic verses that ask Muslims to stand for justice. These values have also been used to challenge discrimination.

“Football has that ability to bring people together and unite them across differences. Football clubs and players have the opportunity to lead by example and to emphasise that inclusivity can strengthen the game.”

Earlier this year BBC News reported on the UK’s first Muslim Pride event.

One of the Muslim Pride attendees, Farhan, told the BBC it is important to challenge the notion that Islam is “inherently queer-phobic”.

“This is an assumption that’s not necessarily based on fact, because if you read the parts of the Qu’ran that supposedly condemn homosexuality, it’s not as clear-cut,” Farhan said.

A report released earlier this year by ILGA-Europe – an independent group of hundreds of LGBTQ+ organisations from across Europe and Central Asia – suggested that LGBTQ+ rights are regressing in the UK.

It ranks the UK just 15th for support for LGBTQ+ rights among 49 European countries, external, having ranked first in 2015.