World Cup pitch invader with rainbow flag declares his freedom

The activist who ran onto the pitch at the World Cup in Qatar on Monday carrying a rainbow flag says he is not in custody.

"No legal ramifications, I am free," wrote Italian Mario Ferri on his Instagram page on Tuesday, thanking everyone for their support.

He entered the pitch during the match between Portugal and Uruguay and was taken away by stewards.

The messages "Save Ukraine" and "Respect for Iranian Woman" were written on his t-shirt.

The rainbow flag appeared to have the word "peace" written on it in Italian and is a common sight in Italy.

However, rainbow colors have caused controversy at the World Cup because they are a symbol of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community, and same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar.

World football's governing body FIFA prevented seven European captains from wearing a multi-coloured armband at the tournament because it might offend the hosts.