A TV journalist has spoken out after being robbed while live on air covering the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, while Welsh fans had their rainbow hats confiscated as they supported their side.

Another journalist, Grant Wahl from the United States, also said he was “detained” because of his T-shirt with a rainbow on it.

Those incidents came after Dominique Metzger, from Argentine TV station Todo Noticias, said she believed money and documents were stolen from her handbag as she interviewed supporters before the Qatar v Ecuador World Cup opener in Doha on Sunday (local time).

But it’s what happened after she reported the apparent theft to police that shocked Metzger even more.

The robbery wasn’t caught on camera. But footage of the moment Metzger believes it happened shows her dancing with the crowd, with a bag hanging from her shoulder.

Tweet from @onediocom

Metzger said she was “convinced” that was when someone reached into her bag and snatched her wallet. She reported the theft to the Qatari authorities soon after, only to be left baffled when officers asked her what kind of punishment she wanted for the thief.

“I went to the station and that was when the cultural differences began,” Britain’s Express newspaper reported on Monday (British time).

“The policewoman said to me ‘We have high-tech cameras everywhere and we are going to locate him with face detection. What do you want the justice system to do when we find him?”

Metzger said she was asked: “What justice do you want? What sentence do you want us to give him?

“Do you want him to be sentenced to five years in prison? Do you want him to be deported?”

Ms Metzger said she just wanted to report the crime, and have it investigated.

Welsh fans, American journalist express shock

Wales fans were left furious after multiple instances of fans having their rainbow buckets hats confiscated as they entered the stadium for their side’s clash against the United States on Monday evening (local time).

Former Wales women’s football captain Laura McAllister was one of those who had their hat confiscated.

So, despite fine words from @FIFAWorldCup before event @Cymru rainbow Bucket hats confiscated at stadium, mine included. I had a conversation about this with stewards – we have video evidence. This #WorldCup2022 just gets better but we will continue stand up for our values 🌈

— Laura McAllister 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@LauraMcAllister) November 21, 2022

Our rainbow bucket hat. We are so proud of them, BUT news on the ground tonight is our welsh female supporters wearing them in #Qatar are having them taken off them, Not the men, just Women. @FIFAcom ARE YOU SERIOUS !!#LGBTQRights 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️#WeBelong | #NoPrideWithoutAll pic.twitter.com/bvo9y51WzG

— The Rainbow Wall 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@TheRainbowWall) November 21, 2022

We have an update that in the end the Rainbow Hats had been taken from the men also but it didn’t start out that way.

A reminder to our Red Wall out in Qatar please stay safe. We can not trust @FIFAcom at all and nothing they have said has been true.

— The Rainbow Wall 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@TheRainbowWall) November 21, 2022

Same-sex activity is criminalised in Qatar and can lead to jail time, but World Cup organisers and FIFA had assured visitors that all people were welcome for the tournament.

Meanwhile US football journalist Wahl detailed his run in with authorities before the same match.

He was initially told he was not allowed into the stadium because of his rainbow T-shirt.

Wahl wrote on Twitter that he was told: “You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed.”

He said he was detained for 25 minutes and had his phone forcibly taken from him.

Free to read: What happened when Qatar World Cup security detained me for 25 minutes for wearing a t-shirt supporting LGBTQ rights, forcibly took my phone and angrily demanded that I remove my t-shirt to enter the stadium. (I refused.) Story: https://t.co/JKpXXETDkH pic.twitter.com/HEjr0xzxU5

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 21, 2022

Wahl said a “FIFA rep” apologised to him.

Earlier in the day FIFA threatened European teams, including England and the Netherlands, with automatic yellow cards if their captains (Harry Kane and Virgil van Dijk) wore “OneLove” rainbow armbands. The threat worked, and the armbands were not worn.

BBC presenter Alex Scott, a former professional footballer who has dated men and women, wore the armband on the coverage instead.

Alex scott a women who has just come out and now is in a country where she she can be killed or imprisoned for being part of the community is wearing the one love armband, brave and powerful stuff from her pic.twitter.com/1f2RYvtpDg

— A🦋 (@littlelacasse) November 21, 2022