A Qatari royal appeared to snub female officials at the FIFA Club World Cup awards ceremony on Thursday.
In the aftermath of Bayern Munich's 1-0 win over Tigres in Qatar, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani was filmed greeting each of the male officials with a fist bump.
However when the female officials, Brazilians Edina Alves Batista and Neuza Back approach, the Sheikh had no interaction with either. Both women follow instructions to walk straight past the royal, as reported via Mail Online.
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In some devout Muslim cultures, it's believed that Islam does not permit physical contact with a person of the opposite sex, except for immediate family members.
The post-match awards ceremony saw players including Bayern superstars Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich collect their trophies and fist bump Sheikh Joaan. But officials Batista and Back walk right past him without any interaction.
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Sheikh Joaan, wearing a face mask alongside everyone else on the podium, was handing out the awards alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday. He is the younger brother of Qatari ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and is also the president of Qatar's Olympic Committee.
While Infantino is shown fist bumping all of the female officials - and engaging in a brief chat with them as they collect their medals from him - Sheikh Joaan's gaze does not appear to move as they walk past him.
The 2022 World Cup is to be held in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December to avoid the country's summer heat. There has been controversy ever since Qatar won the hosting rights in 2010.
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Amnesty International has strongly criticised the treatment of migrant workers involved in preparation for the World Cup, labelling it "forced labour" and claiming that thousands have died in creating the stadiums and infrastructure.
There has also been debate about how FIFA will be able to host a World Cup in a country where it is illegal to drink alcohol in public or to be drunk in public.
Homosexuality is also illegal in Qatar and can be punished by death, while women's rights are restricted due to the male guardianship law.
FIFA tends to control much of what happens under its own jurisdiction in and around World Cup venues. So it remains to be seen what compromises will take place before the tournament kicks off next year.
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