Sheffield Wednesday and England superfan ‘Tango’ apologises and explains Qatar shirt mishap

A Sheffield Wednesday superfan known for whipping his shirt off during matches has explained a mishap in which he received a telling-off by Qatari officials during England’s 3-0 win over Wales.
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Paul Gregory, known as Tango, travels home and away with both Wednesday and England and broke local rules by removing his shirt to reveal his torso ahead of the match.

A security official swiftly asked him to put his shirt back on so as to adhere to Qatari rules over nudity.

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Sheffield Wednesday fan Paul "Tango" Gregory in the stands during the Sky Bet Championship match at Elland Road, Leeds. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday April 13, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Leeds. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.Sheffield Wednesday fan Paul "Tango" Gregory in the stands during the Sky Bet Championship match at Elland Road, Leeds. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday April 13, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Leeds. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
Sheffield Wednesday fan Paul "Tango" Gregory in the stands during the Sky Bet Championship match at Elland Road, Leeds. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday April 13, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Leeds. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
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But Gregory has now explained the reasons why he took his shirt off – and apologised unresevedly for any offence caused to locals.

“I didn’t mean to show disrespect to anybody,” he told MailOnline.

“I have realised that taking my shirt off, and showing my body in public, might be offensive to local rules, so I had no intention of doing that. I’m really sorry if it offended any Qataris.

“A photographer came over to me about an hour before the match kicked off. He showed me a picture on his phone.

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“He had taken one of me in Russia at the World Cup four years ago and said he wanted to take a picture of me and I thought it might just take a few seconds so I said okay.

“But then he was joined by many other photographers. They were like ants gathered around me.

“This brought me to the attention of the security officials , and I was asked to put my shirt back on. There was never any problem.”

Gregory is well-known to players and staff at Wednesday and makes up huge distances following the Owls – travelling up from the Midlands. He was subject to a banning order in 2019 but has since returned to the Hillsborough terraces, later admitting “Everyone makes mistakes.”

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Asked if the sight of his shaven head and topless figure with tattoos might appear menacing to some, he said: “I am not out to harm anyone. In fact I would help anybody if I could.

“I am not a right-wing skinhead. I love football and having fun with other supporters. It is as simple as that.”