Long shunned by Brazil, the number 24 is back in action in Qatar, and here’s why

It might just be a number to us, but it means a lot to them. On Friday December 2, Brazilian centre-back Gleison Bremer wore the number 24 shirt during the World Cup match between his team in Cameroon, Qatar. A number that is very rare to see Seleção players wearing, for homophobic reasons.

A homophobic slur

“For me it’s a shirt like any other, the important thing is to be in the World Cup, the number doesn’t count Gleison Bremer said. However, in Brazil, the number 24 is the equivalent of Friday the 13th. It is avoided like the plague. As explained Info Francethe origin of this disenchantment lies in “jogo do bicho”in French “ the game of the beast ». In this clandestine lotto game, which appeared in Rio in the 19th century, box number 24 is that of the deer, which is called “I see” in Portuguese. A word close to “viado”, a homophobic slur. It is for this simple reason, which may seem silly and discriminatory, that Brazilian footballers and their fans have so far avoided wearing the 24 on their shirts.

The 24th in Qatar, a beautiful symbol

If the 24 has been avoided for decades by the homophobia of some Brazilians, the LGBTQI+ community has seized it to make it a symbol of resistance. It is therefore not negligible that Gleison Bremer goes against ingrained mentalities to rehabilitate this figure.

Added to this is also the context of the world of Qatar. Even before the start of the competition, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch already reported the violence perpetrated by the Qatari authorities against LGBTQI+ people. In the wake of this discrimination, FIFA banned players from wearing the “One Love” armband, a symbol meant to support all discriminated minorities. A censure to which the German players had not failed to react, putting their hand over their mouth during the photo of their first pre-match of the World Cup, signifying the censorship imposed on them. Alex Scott, sports consultant for the BBCmeanwhile he had directly disobeyed the Federation ban by ostensibly wearing the armband, on air.

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