The FIFA World Cup began in Qatar on the 20th of November, 2022, and while things seem to be going off without a hitch, there are countless issues occurring behind the scenes. Even before the event FIFA had been met with a lot of controversy due to having an outdoor sporting event within a country with an extremely hot climate. However, the controversies have only grown, with allegations coming up about bribery and corruption upon bringing the World cup to Qatar, along with human rights violations involving preparations for the World Cup.
I did an interview with a former FHS exchange student from Germany, who is a fan of the World Cup and has been watching it for years. We talked about many questions and concerns people have had about the 2022 World Cup. So, along with information on the topic, I have added excerpts from the interview about commonly asked questions.
In the interview we talked about the choice for Qatar as the country for the World Cup. The choice of Qatar as the host nation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup has been met with controversy ever since it was first announced in 2010, due to the lack of infrastructure in place to support such a large-scale event. Qatar did not have enough stadiums and hotels to house the thousands of fans expected to attend matches during the tournament. Therefore, to rectify this issue, the government would have to spend billions of dollars constructing new venues throughout the country.
I asked the interviewee, “What is your opinion on The World Cup being held in Qatar?”. Their response went as followed:
“I think the whole idea was bad. Like, just the fact that it is way too hot to play outside in the summer, so they had to move it to the winter. The World Cup has always been a summer event where people meet outside and watch it together, this year people are watching it on their own in their living room. Also, their constitution is very homophobic, transphobic, and is violating human rights especially towards women. I do not believe that that is a state where you should start a sports tournament and support in any way.”
With the conversation on Qatar as the host country, the topic came up about bribes being made to bring the World Cup to Qatar. Although this has not been confirmed to be true, the nation was also alleged to have paid more than $3 million in bribery to FIFA officials, raising concerns about how the host country was picked. On the topic of the alleged bribes the interviewee said:
“I think many people lost trust in the FIFA and also the interest in supporting that organization. In general, not many people are watching the World Cup in Germany this year, even though soccer is, like, our national sport.”
We also talked about major human rights abuses that occur in Qatar as that is a major issue being talked about on the topic of the World Cup. Some of the things many people have a problem with include how migrant workers from Southeast Asia and Africa were assigned to the building of stadiums and hotels. These workers were frequently deceived by potential employers and forced to endure terrible working conditions. Qatar has received harsh criticism from human rights groups for its treatment of migrant labor and history of prejudice against different cultures.
The Kafala system is another one of the main grievances of human rights organizations. This system allows businesses almost complete control over employees' visas. This arrangement makes it exceedingly difficult to leave the country or get a job. An employee can become ineligible for employment and is subject to instant arrest and deportation.
The systems in place make it exceedingly difficult for employees to complain about unfair labor practices, like being overworked or receiving late payments. Plus, the fact that many employees acquire debt just to enter the nation makes the problem worse. Because they need the money to pay back these fees and most of them will have taken out high-interest loans, these migrant workers are in a difficult situation. Many of these elements lead to situations where workers are stranded and unable to go home or demand improved working conditions.
In the interview I did with the exchange student I asked, ‘Do you feel the controversies surrounding Qatar and the human rights abuses have been talked about enough in the media?” They stated that:
“I think it depends on the country and how much influence Qatar has on the government. States that are close to the government of Qatar won't say anything bad because they risk losing business deals and other things, but even in a country like Germany it is not talked about enough.”
Another major problem that many people are angry about is about how it has come to light that numerous workers died while constructing World Cup buildings. An analysis was done that says that 6500 migrant workers have died since Qatar was chosen to host the World Cup in 2010. Official statistics from Qatar state that only 37 people have died preparing for the soccer tournament. Human rights groups have demanded that the deaths of migrant workers be investigated further, but Qatar has not been very open.
This brought the interview to the question, “What do you think should be done to make up for the thousands of people who died in the making of the stadium?” Their answer was:
“I think the families of those that can be identified should be given the stolen wages and also get repairmen money for the damage the loss of their lost one has made. Also, the government owes an apology to the families and workers that are currently working. The living conditions of those still working also have to be improved and companies which are responsible for the deaths have to be punished.”
The final thing mentioned on the topic of Human rights was how Qatar has been criticized for its treatment of women and LGBTQ+ people, in addition to the exploitation of migrant workers. Women cannot make decisions about work, education, and some aspects of health care in Qatar without permission from male family members because of guardianship laws. In Qatar, same-sex relationships are against the law and can result in lengthy prison sentences. A lot of LGBTQ+ Qataris have said that they were beaten, bullied, and forced to go through conversion therapy. The captains of several European teams had the idea to wear armbands in support of LGBTQ+ rights, but they decided not to because FIFA had threatened them with penalties during the game.
At the end of the interview, I asked some final questions on the topic of Qatar and The World Cup as a whole. Here are some of the questions and answers:
How do you think things could have been done differently about bringing the world cup to Qatar and with the creation of the stadium?
“I believe it should not have happened in Qatar the first time, but the FIFA should have given restrictions and safety guidelines for the building of the stadiums.”
As a fan of the World Cup, do you still feel you can support it after what has gone on in Qatar?
“No, I don’t think so. I won't be watching it in the future because I believe FIFA should not be supported anymore. They are corrupt and resistant to any criticism. Everyone should be aware of the fact that by watching it, you’re currently supporting a state that is saying that being a part of the LGBTQ community is a mental disorder and that objectifies women.”
Ultimately, in my opinion, Qatar must rectify with FIFA the deaths and other abuses of migrant workers who built the tournament and protect human rights for all Qataris—not just for the sake of the World Cup’s legacy, but for the country and its people as a whole.
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