Why boycott the World Cup in Qatar? If you're looking for clear answers to this question, you've come to the right place. I've been a soccer fan since I could walk. Every weekend I watch the games on TV or go to live matches in the stadium - whether it's the Bundesliga or international matches. But the World Cup in Qatar is under particular scrutiny and quite rightly criticized.
In Norway, there was even a vote on whether the national team should travel at all in the event of qualification. And 65% of Germans were in favor of the German national team canceling their participation in large-scale surveys. But now some have not even qualified and others are going. There is not much left of the boycott thoughts. So now it's up to the soccer fans.
In this article, I'd like to show you why I won't be watching a single game of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview here in advance:
- People had to die for the World Cup in Qatar
- Catastrophic working conditions and exploitation
- The World Cup in Qatar is bought
- Targeted advertising show and image polishing for Qatar
- Sporting events rarely achieve improvement in human rights
- The conditions for Qatar as a venue are catastrophic
- Homosexuality is a criminal offense in Qatar
- Qatar has no basic democratic values
- In Qatar, freedom of expression is limited at most
- Women have hardly any rights in Qatar
- Qatar supports terrorist organizations
- No compensation for human rights violations
- There is no alternative to the World Cup boycott
1. people had to die for the World Cup in Qatar
The Guardian revealed in 2021 that since the World Cup was awarded to the host country Qatar (December 2010), some 6,500 guest workers died in connection with the construction work on stadiums and infrastructure. Other statistics also speak of 15,000 deaths - although this figure probably refers to all foreigners who died in Qatar during the period mentioned.
The reason why the figures are generally relatively inaccurate, however, is the inadequate recording and documentation of deaths and causes of death. In most cases, the organizing committee simply cited "heart failure" as the cause.
2. catastrophic working conditions and exploitation
However, the many deaths are actually mainly due to Accidents at work and Poorly equipped accommodation are the cause. High temperatures, long working hours, few breaks, poor care and inadequate occupational safety also increase the health risk. The human rights organization Amnesty International spoke accordingly of "slave-like conditions".
Migrant workers would have lived in cramped conditions, were poorly paid or not paid at all, exploited and could not even leave the country independently without the consent of their employer.₁ This modern form of slavery made the so-called kafala employment system possible - a monthly minimum wage of 1000 Riyal (equivalent to 275 euros) introduced.
3. the world championship in Qatar is bought
Qatar is not a traditional soccer nation, but a desert state with huge natural gas reserves. Incredibly rich and therefore also incredibly powerful and influential is. So powerful and influential, in fact, that the small country's World Cup bid even includes competitors such as the favored USA, but also South Korea, Japan and Australia outstruck.
Leading FIFA officials are alleged to have cashed in on the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar. What most of us probably already suspected was confirmed by the Publication of an extended, 70-page indictment by the public prosecutor's office in New York in the year 2020.₂
Not only soccer officials such as Karl-Heinz Rummenigge are said to have been bribed (in this case with expensive watches) to support the World Cup in Qatar.₃ Fans from different nations were also bought in to create a local atmosphere.₄
4. targeted advertising show and image polishing for Qatar
Qatar has been systematically sponsoring more and more sports for decades and is even buying entire soccer clubs (such as Manchester City, Paris St. Germain and Newcastle United) in order to build a Create image as a cosmopolitan countrywhich is actually known for the complete opposite. They successfully engage in "sportswashing".
The small gold emirate uses the greed of others to secure media-effective advertising contracts with its wealth. For example with FC Bayern Munich, whose jersey sleeves are now adorned with the logo of "Qatar Airways". Personally, I will be boycotting the World Cup in Qatar because I don't want to support this "whitewashing".
5. sporting events rarely achieve an improvement in human rights
Amnesty International explains that "a boycott that only relates to sport would not solve the structural problem, as Qatar's entire economic system is based on the exploitation of foreign workers."₅ The organization assumes that people's rights would only be further diminished because of the lack of attention.
In my opinion, however, there is more at stake here - because Ultimately, every cent from us consumers also supports the closed and intolerant government. With this background knowledge, it would be extremely difficult for me to cheer a goal.
One more thing: Other major sporting events would follow if the World Cup were to be a success. This could lead to further deaths and countless human rights violations. A boycott is a clear stand!
6. the conditions for Qatar as a venue are catastrophic
In order for the 2022 World Cup to take place in Qatar at all, eight stadiums were built and the infrastructure of the small desert state was massively expanded. Since Hot temperatures around 43°C As the summer months are the norm, the event has even been moved to the winter (the most intense period of stress in the middle of the current season), although it traditionally only takes place after the league has finished in the summer. Due to the heat, all stadiums are cooled down in a climate-damaging way to make the time in the arena bearable for fans and, above all, players.
It's simply too hot for sporting events in Qatar, which poses a major health risk, especially for the local athletes. That's just one of many reasons why I won't be watching the World Cup.
Culture Shock: Another reason why Qatar is not a suitable venue for a soccer World Cup is that there is a risk of imprisonment and even lashes for consuming alcohol in public. In European soccer culture, however, fans and beer go together like bad luck and brimstone. At the World Cup in Qatar, however, alcohol may only be consumed before and after the games - following a heated debate.₆
7. homosexuality is a criminal offense in Qatar
If you come out as gay or lesbian in the small desert city, you can be sent to prison for up to five years. The official Qatari World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman even described homosexuality in an interview with ZDF as "mental harm" or mental illness.₇ Manuel Neuer, the captain of the German national team, even regularly wears a rainbow captain's armband as a Sign of solidarity with the LGBTQ community - to participate in the World Cup in a country that represents the absolute opposite values should actually mean that he is acting against his own values.
8. Qatar has no basic democratic values
The emirate will ruled by the "Emir of Qatar" with absolutist power. He unites all powers in himself - decides on laws, implements them and monitors compliance with them. There are neither parties nor a parliament, but only an advisory body that is appointed exclusively by the emir and is therefore not democratically elected. The predominant form of government is an absolute monarchy.
9. in Qatar there is at most limited freedom of expression
The US organization Freedom House classifies freedom of expression in Qatar as severely restricted. Personal communication is monitored and sharing politically sensitive content on social media can be punished.₈
Regarding a law passed in 2020 that further restricted the right to freedom of expression, the Amnesty International The following with:
"The authorities continued to exercise powers arbitrarily, imposing travel bans and other sanctions on individuals without trial. In some cases, this was apparently done as punishment for their political opinions or peaceful activities."
Amnesty International (Source)
Only positive reporting is desired - but not constructive, fact-based criticism, for example of the situation of the construction workers at the World Cup arenas or the homophonic statements made by the responsible organizers. Anything that could damage the image should be suppressed as quickly as possible.
10. women have hardly any rights in Qatar
Women are not allowed to wear what they want, there is gender segregation in public places and they are not allowed to leave the house without permission. If a woman in Qatar is under the age of 25, she may only enter into contracts if her male guardian allows her to do so. She may simply do not act independently.
If a woman is raped and reports the crime, she can even expect to be convicted of extramarital sex. Now you know another reason why I will be boycotting the World Cup in Qatar.
Good to know: Even the Qatar women's national team was only founded for the World Cup bid and was disbanded shortly after the award.
11 Qatar supports terrorist organizations
It is also advisable not to watch or otherwise support the World Cup in Qatar due to the financing of terror. For example, the Salafists of the Nusra Front in the Syrian civil war promoted. Also in LibyaIn the fight against the dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi, Qatar financed the resistance of radical Islamic groups.₉ A country that presents itself as an ally of the West but finances Islamist terror must not receive any support.
12. there is no compensation for human rights violations
Like Amnesty International explained, are Human rights violations in Qatar are neither punished nor do those affected or their relatives receive compensation.₁₀ One of their petitions was addressed directly to the Qatari Minister of Labor, Ali bin Samikh Al Marri, and the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, with a request for compensation for those affected. So far, there has been no response to the allegations.
There is no alternative to the boycott of the World Cup.
These are all good reasons to boycott the World Cup in Qatar. One last reason, which I don't want to underestimate, is that there is no alternative. If you don't want to promote the problems mentioned in this article, there is no other alternative than the To leave the TV off and certainly not to travel to Doha or other locations of the stadiums in Qatar. If the DFB does not act itself, the least we can all do for the workers who died and their families and for the observance of our democratic, moral values is to boycott the World Cup in Qatar.
Boycott World Cup in Qatar and follow own values
The World Cup in Qatar is a "staged fake World Cup" that serves the purpose of hiding criticism of the intolerant and anything but cosmopolitan desert state behind an appealing façade. The entire event - from the construction of the stadiums, to the human rights violations, to the final whistle - is so far removed from the real soccer that many of us love so much, which is so genuine, unifying, fair and rousing.
For these reasons, I will boycott the World Cup in Qatar and not watch any of the games. But in the end, everyone decides for themselves.
What are you doing? Are you going to watch the World Cup and are you even looking forward to it? Or will you boycott the international matches in the Emirate? Either way, I look forward to hearing your opinion.
Stay open and objective,
PS: When we talk about social challenges, we also have to talk about racism. What everyone can do against racismyou will find out in the next article.
References:
₁ MrWissen2go: Boycott the World Cup in Qatar!, YouTube, 01.09.2021, Web, 09.11.2022 at 10:42, in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWddBq4WnPs.
₂ Kicker: US indictment: Russia and Qatar allegedly bought World Cup votes (as of 07.04.20), available at https://www.kicker.de/us_anklageschrift_russland_und_katar_sollen_wm_stimmen_gekauft_haben-773561/artikel. [09.11.2022].
₃ T-Online: But gifts received from World Cup boss? ZDF informant raises accusations against Rummenigge (as of 09.11.2022), available at https://www.t-online.de/sport/fussball/wm/id_100077364/wm-2022-in-katar-zdf-informant-erhebt-vorwuerfe-gegen-bayern-boss-rummenigge.html. [09.11.2022].
₄ T-Online: Code of conduct signed Qatar pays fans for good atmosphere and espionage (as of 04.11.2022), available at https://www.t-online.de/sport/fussball/wm/id_100075054/fussball-wm-2022-katar-bezahlt-fans-fuer-gute-stimmung-und-spionage.html. [09.11.2022].
₅ Amnesty International: Staying on the ball together (as of 17.06.2021), available at https://www.amnesty.de/informieren/amnesty-journal/katar-wm-2022-menschenrechtsverletzungen. [09.11.2022].
₆ Sportschau: Tournament in Qatar Alcohol at the World Cup only before and after the game (as of 03.09.2022), available at https://www.sportschau.de/fussball/fifa-wm-2022/fussball-wm-katar-bier-fifa-100.html. [09.11.2022].
₇ Tagesschau: Qatari World Cup ambassador Salman calls homosexuality "spiritual damage" (as of 08.11.2022), available at https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/asien/katar-salman-homosexualitaet-101.html. [09.11.2022].
₈ Sky Deutschland Fernsehen GmbH & Co. KG: FIFA World Cup 2022 - Qatar's Emir defends handling of human rights (15.09.2022), available at https://sport.sky.de/fussball/artikel/fifa-wm-2022-katars-emir-verteidigt-umgang-mit-menschenrechten/12697943/35311. [09.11.2022].
₉ D. Peters: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and terror - hotbeds of hatred (as of 07.06.2017), available at https://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/katar-saudi-arabien-und-der-terror-a-1150959.html. [09.11.2022].
₁₀ Amnesty International: Football World Cup - Qatar and FIFA must compensate migrant workers, https://www.amnesty.de/petition-katar-fussball-wm-arbeitsmigrantinnen-entschaedigen-2022-10-20. [09.11.2022].
