Turkish presidential spox welcomes alcohol sales ban at Qatar's World Cup stadiums

Duvar English - Reuters

Turkish Presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın on Nov. 18 welcomed the decision to ban alcoholic beverages sales at Qatar's World Cup stadiums.

“Qatar has taken a sensible decision for sale of alcohol at stadiums. This is not a matter of ‘Qatari conservatism’, as it is implied, but public health, safety and order. We wish Qatar the best of success in hosting the World Cup 2022,” Kalın said in a tweet. 

Alcoholic beer will not be sold at Qatar's World Cup stadiums, world soccer governing body FIFA said on Nov. 18, a last minute reversal which raised questions among some supporters about the host country's ability to deliver on promises to fans, according to reporting by Reuters.

The announcement comes two days before the kickoff of the World Cup, the first to be held in a conservative Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, the consumption of which is banned in public.

"Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters," a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement.

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