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thomasrist · 2 years ago

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Bribery and bigotry: how Qatar marred the “World’s Game”

The FIFA World Cup, the summit of international football, is a celebration of sport that transcends borders, cultures, and languages, represents unity and inclusivity, and brings together nations from around the globe for a month-long festival of competition and camaraderie. However, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was marred by controversy, and evidence that FIFA were willing to sacrifice the very foundations of the World Cup in pursuit of profit and power.

Qatar's Bid: A Controversial Start

The controversy surrounding the 2022 World Cup began with Qatar's successful bid in 2010. The decision to award the tournament to the tiny Middle Eastern nation raised eyebrows from the outset. Qatar’s senior men’s team were ranked 86th in the world at the time, below the likes of Oman and Zambia. Plus, the country had just two stadiums with a capacity higher than 20,000, which brought their ability to host a World Cup into question.

Critics also pointed to concerns about the extreme summer temperatures in Qatar, reaching well over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), which posed serious health risks to players and fans alike. To address this, FIFA made the unprecedented move of rescheduling the tournament to November and December, disrupting the regular football calendar. While the decision aimed to ensure the safety of participants, it underscored the willingness of FIFA to bend to the demands of the host nation, despite putting the inclusivity of fans accustomed to the traditional June-July schedule at risk.

Additionally, at the start of 2011, just a few months after Qatar were announced as the hosts of the 2022 World Cup, Lord Triesman of the English FA tabled accusations of bribery on the part of two FIFA Executive Committee members. In his testimony to the UK parliamentary inquiry board in May 2011, Lord Triesman purported that both Jack Warner of the Trinidad and Tobago FA and Nicolas Leoz of the Paraguay FA demanded financial compensation for their votes in favour of the Qatari bid.

Despite these claims never being proven, the topic of bribery has stayed closely linked to Qatar’s bid. Leaked documents seen by the Sunday Times revealed that the Qatari state-owned television channel beIN Sport (formerly known as Al Jazeera) offered a total of $500 million for the rights to broadcast the tournament just 21 days before Qatar was announced as the hosts of the 2022 World Cup. Showing that the Qatari media already had knowledge of their bid winning before the announcement, outlying the potential that there may have been corruption at play. This completely sullies the integrity of Qatar’s World Cup and draws FIFA’s integrity into question, in addition to their commitment to making the World Cup as ethical as possible.

Human Rights Violations: The Dark Underbelly

As preparations for the World Cup rumbled on, reports of human rights abuses and labour exploitation reared their heads. The BBC reported that The Qatari government hired 30,000 foreign labourers to build the World Cup stadiums, most of which came from Bangladesh India Nepal and the Philippines. Qatar's reliance on migrant workers to build the infrastructure for the tournament led to allegations of inhumane working conditions, poor living conditions, and the violation of basic labour rights. These allegations gained momentum when The Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had died since Qatar won its World Cup bid in 2010.

Upon further enquiry, it was revealed that ‘The Kafala system’ is largely at fault for the mistreatment of these migrant workers. The Kafala System ties migrant workers to their employers, has come under intense scrutiny. This system allows for the exploitation of vulnerable workers, who often face passport confiscation, restricted movement, and inadequate legal recourse. These violations of basic human rights raise ethical questions about FIFA's choice of Qatar as a host nation and their commitment to inclusivity.

Exclusion of LGBTQ+ Community

Qatar's conservative stance on LGBTQ+ rights has provided the largest source of contention. The country's strict laws criminalise homosexuality as well as campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights, and despite the Qatari government’s assurances that all fans would be welcome regardless of sexual orientation, concerns about the safety and inclusivity of LGBTQ+ individuals attending the World Cup persist.

In January 2022, openly gay Australian footballer Josh Cavallo stated he would welcome the World Cup happening in Qatar if it could become a catalyst for the laws to be changed, describing this possibility as "a fantastic opportunity" for the nation to open it’s doors to the LGBTQ+. Cavallo had previously expressed fear of travelling to the nation before the organising committee told him he would be welcome. Therefore the opportunity was there for FIFA to really break boundaries by making the Far East a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community.

Prior to the tournament Gianni Infantino even went as far as stating “Let me repeat it clearly: Everyone will be welcomed to the tournament, regardless of their origin, background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or nationality”. Many football fans have said they were refused entry into World Cup Stadiums whilst wearing rainbow colours. Former Wales professional soccer player Laura McAllister tweeted that she was refused entry to a FIFA stadium by security officials Monday because she was wearing a rainbow-themed supporters’ hat. McAllister said she was told by officials that the rainbow symbol was forbidden.

In December 2022, The BBC published a report based on interviews with LGBTQ+ fans from Qatar and from Western nations. It examined the impact that the attitude of the organising committee and FIFA had towards LGBTQ+ rights during the World Cup had on supporters' feelings on football culture and homosexuality in football. A lot of fans stated that they had previously felt that the footballing world was at or approaching a positive and supportive place in terms of accepting LGBTQ+ fans and players. The attitude of the British was that fans considered LGBTQ+ people being treated equally to be an uncontroversial matter of fact, and a fundamental human right, with fans having become used to seeing overt support from the footballing world. However, seeing FIFA allow LGBTQ+ rights to revert to a debate, and one based on culture rather than human rights, these fans were shocked; the BBC also noted that there was shock at Infantino repeatedly saying that people who wanted FIFA to condemn Qatar's stance on LGBTQ+ rights were only trying to stir a culture war.

FIFA, in its pursuit of profit, has been criticised for not doing enough to address this issue, and in some cases went to some lengths to avoid the issue being addressed. A number of captains of European nations (Wales, England, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland), had planned to wear a ‘OneLove’ armband to “promote inclusion and send a message against discrimination of any kind”. However, on the 21st of November (after the tournament had already started), the football associations of the aforementioned nations were told that any player who donned the armband would receive a yellow card.

FIFA was heavily criticised by fans and the football associations, for making the captains of the nations choose to either represent their countries or speak out against Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Pride in Football, an LGBTQ+ supporters group spoke out against FIFA and also lamented the players for not following through with the gesture, "A token gesture from the start that has turned into another embarrassment from FIFA. FIFA have had since September to sort this, and yet they wait until now to threaten sanction. FIFA is denying players their fundamental and most basic human right to freedom of speech. Countries, teams and players are happy to defend LGBTQ+ people until they themselves are at risk. LGBTQ+ Qataris face a bigger punishment than just a yellow card. The gestures and the activism ended quite easily at the thought of reprimand".

Pride in Football’s statement perfectly encapsulates the hypocrisy that exists amongst elite sports, corporations and athletes are perfectly fine supporting causes until there’s a potential backlash, which could cost them sponsorships and financial backing. The complete opposite of what Josh Cavallo proposed prior to the World Cup, FIFA let a fantastic opportunity fall through their fingers, all in the pursuit of profit. Plus, FIFA's decision to hold the tournament in a country with discriminatory laws and its failure to use its influence to advocate for change raises questions about its commitment to inclusivity at all levels of the game, as campaigns like rainbow laces and Football v Homophobia lose years of work, because football’s largest organisation, FIFA allowed LGBTQ+ rights to become a debate instead of a matter of human rights.

The Media’s Reaction

The Media’s treatment of Qatar hosting the World Cup bought about the same hypocrisy as the very organisations they were condemning. Gary Neville, a large voice in football punditry, aligns himself politically to the left, which made his decision to appear on the Qatari-owned broadcaster beIN Sports all the more confusing.

In defence of his appearance Neville stated that “my view on it quite simply is that I detest workers' rights abuses, I hate the idea of people not being paid enough money, working in poor conditions, the idea of people not having good accommodation. The women's rights and human rights abuses. I can't stand it. But I also have relationships with people in this part of the world and have done for many many years. Those relationships are long standing in our country”. This statement from Neville underlines the hypocrisy that surrounds all facets of the event, everyone is fine to point out the issues that surround Qatar’s policies, but when it comes down to truly tackling the issue, they go silent, in order to protect relationships that bring financial upturns.

On the other hand, some media personalities protested well against Qatar’s policies. Openly queer pundit Alex Scott donned the banned ‘OneLove armband’ pitch-side prior to England’s World Cup opener against Iran, in direct protest of the ban FIFA had imposed on the symbol being displayed. Scott also spoke out against FIFA president Infantino for his rambling speech, where he stated “Today I feel Qatari, today I feel Arab, today I feel African, today I feel gay, today I feel disabled, today I feel like migrant worker”. In a passionate speech televised on the BBC, Scott lamented Infantino, “You are not gay. You'll never understand travelling to a country where you are fearing for your life just because of your preference of who you choose to love”. Scott’s words truly drove home the disconnect between FIFA and the people they affected with their decision to host the World Cup in Qatar, and their willingness to sweep these issues under the rug with empty statements, all in the name of protecting their profits.

However, it can be argued that Scott’s willingness to appear in Qatar, accepting a paycheck in order to be there, is an act of hypocrisy, because much of what she’s said and done could have been done from a UK-based studio. Also, BBC’s willingness to broadcast the event shows that there is a price for their integrity, with Pundits speaking out against the event, all while the BBC rakes in the absurd sums of money they receive for televising said event. All of these reactions truly encapsulate the attitudes towards Qatar’s debauchery, all of the media voices that spoke out against it, were still largely happy to stand at the tournament helping bring more eyes towards it, inevitably boosting their own profits, instead of truly tackling the issue.

What We Can Learn... The staging of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has brought to light a troubling aspect of prioritising financial gain over the principles of inclusivity and ethics. The entire journey, from the controversial bidding process to the glaring human rights violations, exclusion of the LGBTQ+ community, and the escalating commercialisation of the tournament, paints a stark picture of FIFA's decision-making and its impact on the global football community.

The bidding process itself was marred by allegations of corruption and ethical breaches, raising concerns about the transparency and fairness of the selection of host nations. The subsequent revelations of severe human rights violations in Qatar, including the exploitation of migrant workers and questionable labour practices, have further tarnished the reputation of the tournament. The exclusion of the LGBTQ+ community, evident in restrictions on public displays of affection, any displays of support for LGBTQ+ rights, and the lack of legal protections, contradicts the principles of equality and inclusivity that should be upheld in such a globally significant event.

The increasing commercialisation of the World Cup has transformed it into a lucrative business venture rather than a festival of football. The proliferation of sponsorships, advertising, and merchandising has overshadowed the core values of fair play, unity, and camaraderie that should define the beautiful game. Pushing large groups of our society to the wayside, all in pursuit of financial gain. This commercial focus has not only diluted the essence of the tournament but also raises questions about the true priorities of those overseeing it, with FIFA brushing the large issues under the carpet.

As passionate fans, conscientious stakeholders, and responsible citizens, we must look at ourselves first, and examine how we can blindly watch an event that has been marred with such controversy. We must demand greater transparency, accountability, and a reconsideration of the fundamental values that should guide the World Cup. By holding FIFA to higher standards, we can strive to ensure that future editions of the tournament prioritise inclusivity, respect for human rights, and environmental sustainability. Only through such a collective effort can the World Cup regain its status as a truly global celebration that unites nations and embodies the principles of fairness and unity in the world of football.

#2022 world cup #qatar #lgbtq rights #inclusivity in sport #gary neville #alex scott #infantino

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gavisfanta · 8 months ago

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ONE NIGHT - FERRAN

summary: just a one night stand with a footballer after meeting at a club, yet after seeing him, you cant get enough.

warnings; smut 18+

The bright light of the club in Qatar flashed throughout the whole room, it got really annoying after some time.

However your friends dragged you over to the dancefloor where several other people were already dancing. The place looked hella crowded but you went there anyways. After about half an hour and three glasses of water, you realized that you needed to go to the toilet. So walking down some stairs which lead into a corridor, you saw some people standing by the wall, on their phone or just talking in general.

However while you walked to the women's toilet, you saw that a familiar face was looking at you.

It was a spanish footballer whose face you knew damn well from the tv and the worldcup. However you never saw him in real life, so it shocked you a little bit. However you kept walking, giving him no attention whatsoever.

"Hey" You heard someone call from behind you, to your surprise it was infact Ferran.

"Hey" you smiled back at him and walked a bit closer to be able to understand him better. Ferran didn't try to make it a secret that he was checking you out, his eyes sliding up and down your body before finally meeting your eyes again.

"You look good" He complimented you.

"Thank you" A smile crept onto your face, you were glad it was dark, or else he could've seen the blush creeping up on your cheeks.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" His eyes traveled down to your body again.

"No, I'm single." You answered, he was so attractive, you needed to pull yourself together so that you wouldn't touch him. His body looked too good in that white shirt and black shorts.

"Can I have your phone?" He asked while looking at yhe phone in your hands. You nodded your head and reached it to him.

"Why do you need it?" He didn't answer but instead just shook his head.

After he handed you back his phone, he looked at you. "Come by at 2am, if you want." He wrote his hotel and hotelroom into your notes app.

You smiled a bit and answered while watching him walk away. "Maybe I will."

"So why did you come?" Ferran opened the door even wider and let you in, flashing him a smile on the way, you entered his room and sat down on his bed. Your black dress sliding up a bit, revealing even more of your thighs.

Ferran made it once again pretty obvious that he was checking you out while closing the door and leaning against it.

"I was bored, I guess." You shrugged your shoulders and smiled at him faintly. He nodded his head and then went outside onto the balcony, you shook your head as you watched him stand behind the railing, looking at the Qatar, the cars driving in the city and the houses.

Seconds later he turned around and came back inside, looking at you still sitting on the bed.

"So you're sure you're not here for anything else?" Ferran asked and started walking towards you, stopping unfront of you, looking down at your body before his eyes met yours.

"Hm, not sure." You shurgged your shoulders again and broke eye contact again. He brought his hand up to your jaw, immediately applying a strong grip to turn your head to look at him again. "I'm not sure if you're worth not being able to walk tomorrow." A grin spread on your face immediately after you saw his face drop.

"Want me to prove you wrong?" Ferran asked while letting go of your jaw finally, he already felt blood rush to his dick.

"I don't know," You stood up, his face just a few inches from yours. "Can you?" You whispered. Ferran didn't think for one second and immediately crished his lips into yours, pushing you back onto the bed as he got ontop of you. His hands slid below your dress while he took it off, breaking the kiss for a second to take it off completely. He immediately took off his shirt too, leaving him only in shorts and you in your underwear. You wrapped your legs around his torso as he began to kiss your neck, as he began to suck on your neck, you threw your head back while small whimpers escaped your mouth.

He slid his hands below your body and unclipped your bra, removing it and also throwing it to the floor, he smiled a little bit as he loiked at your exposed breasts and then immediately began sucking on one, while with his hand he pinched your other nipple.

Your hands ran through his short hair as he slowly moved away from your breasts and began kissing down your stomach until he reached your panties. You held yourself up on your elbows as you looked at the striker while he hooked his fingers into the fabric and slowly began pulling it down, his eyes darting up at yours.

Taking your panties off completely and throwing them to the floor too, he hadn't yet broke eye contact with you. You looked at him while he slowly lowered his head and started licking up and down your folds. It didn't take long for him to insert his tongue into your pussy, eating you out slowly. Your legs were already shaking but Ferran held them down with his arms. You grabbed into his hair, trying to push his head further in between your legs. Just as he began to rub your clit with his thumb you moaned loudly.

As he worked on your pussy with his tongue, you slowly started feeling the knot building up in your lower abdomen. However when Ferran stuck two fingers inside of you and began to lick you clit, you knew you were about to come.

Just to make it worse he started flickering his fingers inside of you, reaching your g-spot and hitting it repeatedly.

You arched your back as you came, the only thing that left your mouth was in low moans, Ferrans name.

He then went up to your neck again, kissing it while you came down from your high. After you were just breathing heavily and Ferran was laying on top of you, listening to your heartbeat, you smiled.

"You're really good at this." You mumbled while running your hand through his hair, playing a bit with it.

"I know"

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