Soccer – U.S.’ Blinken says hearing of limits on free expression at World Cup ‘always concerning

DOHA (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was “always concerning” to hear of limits on freedom of expression at the World Cup Games in Qatar, after FIFA threatened yellow cards for World Cup players if they wear armbands with a rainbow.

“It’s especially so when the expression is for diversity and for inclusion,” said Blinken, who watched the U.S. team’s first match on Monday in Doha and also met with his Qatari counterpart for the U.S.-Qatari strategic dialogue.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)