WATCH: Ahead of Qatar World Cup, players shine light on LGBT, race and mental health issues – WION

Ahead of the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFPRO is giving global soccer players the chance to ‘shine a light’ on issues that are important to them. On Wednesday (November 9), the players organization, also known as the International Federation of Professional Footballers, released three heartfelt videos tackling online racial abuse, mental health and suicide prevention, and the promotion of LGBTQ rights. Australia midfielder Jackson Irvine, who plays for FC St. Pauli in the Bundesliga, offered up his insights in how he thinks soccer culture needs to be more inclusive towards LGBTQI+ players and fans.

The release of the video comes less than two weeks before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar where homosexuality is illegal. Gay advocates and some soccer stars have raised concerns over the rights of fans traveling for the event, especially LGBT+ individuals and women, whom rights groups say Qatari laws discriminate against. Organizers of the World Cup, which starts on November 20 and is the first held in a Middle Eastern nation, say that everyone, no matter their sexual orientation or background, is welcome, while also warning against public displays of affection.

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Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates used the invitation to talk about mental health and the pressures many players face. The issue is especially important to the Sporting CP defender following the death of a close friend and former team mate, Santiago Garcia, who died of suicide last February. Finally, Toronto FC and Canada midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye shared his experience of facing online racial abuse after he was shown a red card in a World Cup qualifying match.

Kaye called on clubs to do more to protect players from social media abuse including sharing more positive content for fans to interact with clubs. Each of the stories are part of a FIFPRO series they are calling #ShineALight which aims to give players a platform to talk about issues they feel are important.