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Rainbow flag-wielding pitch invader has been released from Qatari police without any consequences

Rainbow flag-wielding pitch invader has been released from Qatari police without any consequences

Mario Ferri ran onto the pitch during the World Cup donning a shirt that read ‘Save Ukraine’ and ‘Respect For Iranian Women’.

Jayden Collins

Jayden Collins

The World Cup pitch invader who ran onto the field waving a rainbow flag while protesting human rights will escape without punishment in Qatar.

Mario Ferri legged it onto the pitch during the Portugal-Uruguay match donning a shirt that read ‘Save Ukraine’ and ‘Respect For Iranian Women’.

He was wielding a rainbow flag with the message ‘Peace’ written in Italian.

Ferri was quickly caught by security guards and taken off the pitch, with fears of what his fate may be.

However, Fabrizio Romano reports that Ferri has since been released without consequences.

He wrote on his Instagram that he had received ‘no legal consequences’ and that he was free from custody while thanking everyone for their support.

However, his Instagram page has since been deleted.

Despite no legal repercussions, Ferri will be banned from attending any more games at the tournament.

The World Cup organising committee confirmed that he had been released from custody and that his embassy had been informed.

They said in a statement: “As a consequence of his actions, and as is standard practice, his (entry permit) has been cancelled and he has been banned from attending future matches at this tournament.”

Ferri is no stranger to activism on the football pitch.

The 35-year-old has gained notoriety for his on-field protests, with Monday’s stun not the first time he has invaded the field to get a point across.

In 2009, he ran onto the field during a 2009 matchup between Italy and Netherlands where he pleaded with then-manager Marcello Lippi to take Antonio Cassano to the World Cup in South Africa.

However, his pleas fell on deaf ears.

In 2010, he entered the pitch for the Inter and Mazembe Club World Cup final in Abu Dhabi where he donned the message ‘Free Sakineh’ an Iranian citizen who had spent nine years on death row before being released in 2014.

And at the 2014 World Cup, he once again entered the field during the Belgium and USA fixture where he pleaded for those in power to save the children of Brazil’s favelas.

However, his latest may be the last in his activism career.

According to The West Australian, he wrote on his Instagram: “I'll call it, 'THE LAST DANCE,' my last field invasion, I wanted to send IMPORTANT messages, which I've experienced first hand in recent months.”

Featured Image Credit: BSR Agency / Alamy. PA Images / Alamy.

Topics: Football, Football World Cup, Qatar

Jayden Collins is a Journalist at SPORTbible. He has worked across multiple media platforms in areas such as sport, music, pop culture, entertainment and politics. He is part of the editorial team for LADbible Australia.