Pelumi Agboola
As football fans worldwide gather in their thousands to commence the 2022 World Cup, the host country has attracted controversy. This year’s Cup is hosted in Qatar and conversations surrounding FIFA’s choice of country to host the event have overshadowed the traditional football spirit.
Qatar is the first Middle Eastern Country to host the World Cup in its 92 years of history. This year also marks Qatar’s first time at the World Cup – they automatically qualify as the host country. These things all feel like a win for inclusivity. However, conversations around how appropriate FIFA’s choice was to have Qatar host the event started when Qatar released their code of conduct, which fawned upon immodest dressing, dating, profanity and drunk behaviour. This got fans talking, but triggering a wider discussion was the anti-LGBTQA+ attitude which outlawed same-sex relationships and the inhumanity against migrant workers.
Why did FIFA choose Qatar?
10 years ago there was a bidding process. Qatar put in a bid and was chosen by the majority of 22 FIFA executives, beating competitors like South Korea and the US. The only problem they seemed to be up against was a ‘lack of infrastructure’ and the intense heat of Qatar’s summer – hence why this year’s World Cup commenced in November. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter was happy to see this development within football, with Qatar being the first Middle Eastern country to host. He is now more sceptical years later as he feels responsible for the decision as the former President. He has said: “It is a mistake… the choice was bad… Since then, social considerations and human rights are taken into account.”
It’s important to note that FIFA has also chosen countries like Russia (2018) and South Korea (2002) to host the World Cup. Although these countries don’t outlaw homosexuality, they don’t protect people in those communities from discrimination. This echoes even England’s hosting and winning of the World Cup in 1966 while it was illegal to be gay.
The Problems
Respecting another country and their laws is one side of the argument. Expecting people to respect places of worship and choosing not to serve alcohol seems fine to me – no one is hurt or ostracised from these expectations.
However, the laws against homosexuality do. The notion that one should just not attend the country if they don’t like the rules is incredibly reductive. We should all respect the religion of countries we visit but when Qatar placed a bid and FIFA finalised the decision for them to host an international sporting tournament – which includes inviting thousands to the country and millionaires watching online – they should have considered the fact that not everyone will be welcome. Whether it’s the ‘act of’ or the identification of homosexuality, it is not something one can “respect” when their whole identity is being ignored or discriminated against.
As the games have already started and fans have protested against this rhetoric, FIFA have had urgent chats with Qatar, resulting in Qatar’s U-turning on prohibiting rainbow colours from being worn in the stadium as spectators were once turned away. Nevertheless, this is still a step backwards, as football in particular has seemed progressive since the first openly gay professional footballer Jake Daniels received a wealth of support, along with the regular allyship of fans and players of the LGBTQA+ community.
This is why presenter Joe Lycett challenged football icon David Beckham to an ultimatum to end his million-dollar contract or he will shred £10,000. Beckham declined and Lycett said he had already donated the money to LGBTQA+ charities and the ultimatum was a publicity stunt to get people talking. He instead shredded the British gay lifestyle magazine, Attitude, which featured Beckham on the cover in 2002.
https://twitter.com/joelycett/status/1591767179707432960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers also stood at the forefront of criticism. With ten years to prepare for the tournament, organisers hired thousands to build the stadium and surrounding areas, with many being overworked and underpaid. The Qatar World Cup organisers have said that 40 workers have died as a result of their labour, whereas The Guardian has reported this figure to be in the thousands. Causes of death have been related to the heat of the country and suicide, leaving families distraught. Some qualifying teams like Denmark and The Netherlands, took a stand to show their support for the lives lost.
Where do we go from here?
With all that being said, it’s needless to say that there are not many countries with a squeaky-clean history or present. Even some countries that appear ‘open to all’ still have a gruesome history and current laws that are discriminatory. However, if we want to continue having a World Cup that encompasses inclusivity and diversity for all, then we need to acknowledge and respect our differences while still upholding a standard of equality for all.
Whether it is the stadium workers, players or fans, we should all be welcome and treated fairly. This is not about trying to uphold Western standards but rather accounting for universal human rights that protect the lives of everyone.
Featured Image courtesy of Fauzan Saari via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
