Former Premier League referee turns down FIFA’s World Cup request

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Former Premier League referee Uriah Rennie has explained that he turned down a FIFA request to borrow the oldest trophy in football history during the World Cup in order to “make a stand” over LGBT+ rights in Qatar. Rennie refereed in the top-flight between 1997 and 2009 and was also on FIFA’s list of officials for four years during his career.

Rennie, who has previously taken charge of World Cup qualifiers, is now the president of non-league side Hallam, who are in the ninth tier of the football pyramid. The Sheffield-based side are the holders of the Youdan Cup, which is widely regarded as being the oldest football trophy in the world as the competition was launched half a decade before the FA Cup began.

According to Rennie, FIFA wanted to take the trophy to Qatar to display it as part of an exhibition on the history of football.

But the 63-year-old was having none of it after hearing World Cup ambassador and ex-Qatar player Khalid Salman labelling homosexuality a “damage in the mind” in an interview with a German television channel.

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“It was never about money,” Rennie began. “We were never offered and we never asked for any. It was about how we can protect Hallam and local football, and having a positive image for football. I was concerned about the human rights record, and the treatment of migrant workers who have built the stadia, as well as those comments in the interview which were so offensive and abhorrent.

“Hallam FC is inclusive in all we do and to allow the cup to go would have been at odds with the club’s beliefs and what the community believes. I want to see the same opportunities for everyone. Sometimes you have to take a stand.”

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Qatar was handed the rights to host the World Cup by FIFA in 2010. But the country was heavily criticised ahead of the tournament due to its stance on same-sex relationships, its human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers. The criticism has continued throughout the competition and stadium officials have been unwilling to relax their attitude as some have been stopping fans from taking rainbow-themed items to matches.

The tournament has now entered its latter stages, with Croatia set to go head-to-head with Argentina on Tuesday night in the first semi-final. France, who overcame England 2-1 in the quarter-finals on Saturday, have also reached the last four and will take on surprise package Morocco in the second semi-final on Wednesday. The World Cup final will then take place at Lusail Stadium on Sunday.

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