Scholz does not rule out traveling to Qatar in case the German soccer team reaches the World Cup final

BERLIN, 18 Nov. (DPA/EP) –

The chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, has not yet decided whether he will travel to Qatar for the soccer World Cup, and has left the door open to visit the Gulf country in case the German team reaches play the final match.

“This will be carefully analyzed at that time,” said the government spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, who has stressed that the chancellor will watch his team’s matches on television as long as “his schedule allows it.”

The World Cup in Qatar has been surrounded by controversy since it was awarded, more than twelve years ago, and as the event approaches -it will begin this Sunday- criticism has been accentuated by the country’s working conditions, respect for the LGTB community or the lack of Human Rights guarantees.

On six of the eight occasions in which the German soccer team has reached a final — most recently in 2014 — the chancellor on duty has traveled to the host country to witness the dispute for the world title live.

However, the Central European country will have the representation of the Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, who at the beginning of November confirmed that she would attend the first match of the national team after, according to her, having received guarantees regarding respect for Human Rights by part of the host country.