Why wearing a Barcelona shirt in the UAE could earn you a 15-year prison sentence

Eh? But true – anyone caught in the United Arab Emirates promoting Qatar Airways could get themselves prison time and a hefty fine.

Qatar is currently enduring a period of crisis as the UAE, among others, have cut off diplomatic ties with the nation over claims of supporting terrorist extremism. Qatar have denied all allegations of supporting armed militant groups.

It seems the UAE’s hostility towards the Qataris has even spread to the realm of football shirts, though. Barcelona have had airline Qatar Airways as their shirt sponsor since 2013, and before that the Qatar Foundation.

Barça have agreed a sponsorship deal with Japanese retailer Rakuten for the next four years. The new shirt is now available, and you may want to buy it quickly if you’re planning to don the red-and-blue in the United Arab Emirates.

If you’re caught out wearing the old shirt with ‘Qatar’ written on it, you could be susceptible to a fine of up to £110,000 or 15 years in prison.

Probably best to leave that Qatari national team shirt at home as well, then.

Source: FourFourtwo