Qatar 2022

[ExpatFan]

As opposed to all the other nations that have previously hosted world cups where "corruption" simply doesn't exist?!

Strawman argument, and you know it.

 

[Marty]

I appreciate the concern over foreign workers and I agree that their treatment is nothing short of horrific.......BUT the abuse of foreign workers is common practice throughout most of the Middle East (including in Saudi Arabia, UAE and even Israel!). It doesn't make it any more acceptable but I don't see why people use this particular stick to beat Qatar alone.

Secondly, I don't think people on this forum appreciate the plight of some of the asian workers who go to places like Qatar for work. Their situation back home is often desperate and they opt to work abroad knowing full well the risks they are taking. For most of them, the world cup in Qatar is a lifeline and provides an opportunity to support their families back home so that they don't have to go through the same vicious cycle of being exploited for labour. We need to get off our moral high horse and admit the reality that this world is horribly unjust and that people in other places don't enjoy the same privileges that we are used to.

Well none of those countries should be awarded any international tournaments while they practice labour exploitation. And yes, it really is that simple.

Sporting boycott helped end Apartheid, it can help end this as well but it seems nobody has the moral inclination to take a stand.

 

['O Zio]

I appreciate the concern over foreign workers and I agree that their treatment is nothing short of horrific.......BUT the abuse of foreign workers is common practice throughout most of the Middle East (including in Saudi Arabia, UAE and even Israel!). It doesn't make it any more acceptable but I don't see why people use this particular stick to beat Qatar alone.

To be fair those countries aren't supposed to be hosting the world cup. Nobody is saying that it's only wrong when Qatar do it, they're saying it's wrong regardless of who does it and therefore a country that does it shouldn't be awarded the WC

 

[rez9000]

To be fair those countries aren't supposed to be hosting the world cup. Nobody is saying that it's only wrong when Qatar do it, they're saying it's wrong regardless of who does it and therefore a country that does it shouldn't be awarded the WC

Precisely.

And it's not as if there are World Cups being held in other countries at the same time. We register our opposition because this upcoming World Cup has a number of issues. If there were more than one going on at the same time, then it could be argued that targeting Qatar and Qatar alone is disingenuous.

Likewise, there are degrees of opposition. I felt that Russia shouldn't have had the World Cup but I felt less exercised by the corruption because there weren't a load of other issues going on at the same time, or at least not to the same degree.

The corruption behind the Qatar bid, the fact that they've changed it from summer to winter and fucked up a large number of leagues around the world, the fact that hundreds of workers have died (regardless of whether they chose to be there or not, which is a very thin argument anyway as agreement to a situation initially does not indemnify bad treatment), the fact that they are a despotic regime that dehumanises women, gays, immigrants, and basically anyone who isn't part of the ruling ethnic minority, the fact that they directly fund Islamist terrorism, knowing full well that they are killing people and making the life of ordinary Muslims* around the world who just want to live their lives harder by doing so - these are all aspects that make their holding of the tournament a travesty.

And I have to say, I don't care if my boycott has no effect on FIFA, though. The one effect it will have is that I'll be able to look myself in the mirror and know that, in this instance, I derived no enjoyment or pleasure as a result of the deaths of other human beings. It's rare to be able to do that in today's world, but I'll take some solace in the fact that, in this instance, I can maintain my own integrity.

*By that, I mean they are making the lives of ordinary Muslims harder in direct contravention to the idea that they want to make life easier for them with their actions, not that non-Muslims aren't affected in the worst possible way also.

 

[aussiespursguy]

Well none of those countries should be awarded any international tournaments while they practice labour exploitation. And yes, it really is that simple.

Sporting boycott helped end Apartheid, it can help end this as well but it seems nobody has the moral inclination to take a stand.

You are so correct, but South Africa didn't have OIL and GAS.

 

[wirE]

Speak for yourself. I won't be, as I saw at first hand what a corrupt, venal bunch of aunts they are.

don’t you wanna support your team? Imagine them crying in bed at night knowing that you weren’t there and had their backs

my point being; when push comes to shove, people are gonna watch.

 

[ExpatFan]

don’t you wanna support your team? Imagine them crying in bed at night knowing that you weren’t there and had their backs

my point being; when push comes to show, people are gonna watch.

Yes, when push comes to show (do you mean shove?) people are gonna watch. But I was in Qatar when they stole/bribed this and knew some of those involved, so, no, I won't be one of those gonna watch.

 

[wirE]

Yes, when push comes to show (do you mean shove?) people are gonna watch. But I was in Qatar when they stole/bribed this and knew some of those involved, so, no, I won't be one of those gonna watch.

yup. Thanks for that, not always the autocorrect is on point

 

[Hakkz]

don’t you wanna support your team? Imagine them crying in bed at night knowing that you weren’t there and had their backs

my point being; when push comes to show, people are gonna watch.

Yes. Weak people without principles.

 

[Marcus_spur]

Well none of those countries should be awarded any international tournaments while they practice labour exploitation. And yes, it really is that simple.

Sporting boycott helped end Apartheid, it can help end this as well but it seems nobody has the moral inclination to take a stand.

Couldnt agree more. In the end, the stance of the international football fan should be this:
If you financially support, organise or play at the Quatar world cup - you are a slaver and a murderer; and should be jailed upon arriving home.

For my part; I will tell the FA, my club and the players to go fuck themselves and report them for being part of an international human trafficking ring if they condone this travesty. And yes, that includea no longer supporting spurs. Simple fact is that the lives of thousands of slaves weigh heavier than football.

 

[Marcus_spur]

Of course people will. On terms of boycotting the right thing to do would've been for the "big" nations to refuse to participate. A few random fans saying they're boycotting is just bollocks and nobody will care.

When it was awarded to Qatar, the big nations should've got behind the investigation into the corruption and when it became blatantly obvious how corrupt the voting was, they should've boycotted. There's plenty of grounds for it given how ridiculously unsuitable a host they are.

They even got a second chance to do it when it came out that the stadiums were being essentially built by slaves, some of whole were dying in the process. But nope, they all sat in silence.

At this stage it's definitely going ahead and will probably be a big success. They'll have state of the art stadiums, the big teams will all be there, everyone will be staying in luxury hotels, all the random no drinking laws etc will be relaxed etc. And everyone will conveniently forget about all the horrors of that horrific place temporarily because ultimately people are more bothered about their own enjoyment and making money than they are about doing the right thing.

The simple fact is that any nation's footballing governing body, as well staff and players, could be charged with being part of a massive human trafficking operation, slavery and thousands of murders. Unfortunately the law doesnt generally apply to the rich and powerful.

 

[rez9000]

The simple fact is that any nation's footballing governing body, as well staff and players, could be charged with being part of a massive human trafficking operation, slavery and thousands of murders. Unfortunately the law doesnt generally apply to the rich and powerful.

Yep. The apposite word is 'privilege'. Etymology of the word 'privilege'? It comes to us from Latin in which it translates as 'private law'.

 

[dudu]

don’t you wanna support your team? Imagine them crying in bed at night knowing that you weren’t there and had their backs

my point being; when push comes to show, people are gonna watch.

Not me

 

[Mornstar]

Yes, when push comes to show (do you mean shove?) people are gonna watch. But I was in Qatar when they stole/bribed this and knew some of those involved, so, no, I won't be one of those gonna watch.

Would you like to demonstrate your high moral principles and name n shame all of the guilty parties that you know of?

 

[ExpatFan]

Would you like to demonstrate your high moral principles and name n shame all of the guilty parties that you know of?

How do you know I haven't already done so, but not on a public forum? Am I to assume that you don't believe that I was indeed there and knew some of those involved?

 

[Mornstar]

How do you know I haven't already done so, but not on a public forum? Am I to assume that you don't believe that I was indeed there and knew some of those involved?

just the response I expected

 

[ExpatFan]

just the response I expected

You're welcome!

 

[TheChosenOne]

 

[Gassin's finest]

What did everyone expect? My dad worked in Saudi for nearly a decade. They made women go into shops and restaurants via the servants entrance and sit in the back while the men got waited on. Women are just slaves and breeding stock over there.

It's just one of a hundred things that's wrong with this world cup.

 

[Syn_13]

I'm surprised female officials were even allowed.