Mexican fans are expected to add a touch of glamor and enthusiasm by supporting their country’s national team in the World Cup in Qatar, but they will be banned from wearing the masks they are famous for, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.
In Mexico, fans often sing the popular song “Cilito Lindo” (“Beautiful Sky”), wear charo hats or cover their faces with the “lucha libre” masks characteristic of the wrestlers of this great Latin country.
However, it looks like many who are planning to travel to Doha to support the El Tricolor team will be disappointed that they will not be able to wear Lucha Libre masks.
In this regard, the executive director for strategy and public diplomacy of the Mexican Foreign Ministry, Alfonso Zagbi, said that the organizing committee of the World Cup announced a ban on wearing masks.
In television statements, he said: “We previously asked about the possibility of wearing these masks, and at first the answer came that there was no problem with this.”
“There are many taboos,” he continued.
A Mexican official warned that if fans tried to smuggle the masks to wear to Mexico’s group stage matches against Saudi Arabia, Poland and Argentina, they would be confronted by security personnel.
He stressed the need to keep fans informed about these issues, despite the fact that the decision was made too late, pointing out that there are other restrictions, such as the ban on the import of alcoholic beverages into Qatar.
It should be noted that Qatar has issued a series of bans placed on fans wishing to come to the country, including not having sexual relations outside of marriage in public, according to the publication.