As the World Cup culminates in Qatar, the action and drama on the pitch have partially overshadowed the human rights controversies that have dogged the Arab country since it was chosen to host the competition 12 years ago.
Since it was suggested Qatar will host the tournament, critics have wondered how football authorities could choose a country which has never qualified for a World Cup, is too hot to host matches in the summer and would need to build most of their stadiums from scratch for the World Cup.
The decision also put Qatar’s human rights record in the spotlight, including conditions for foreign workers who built the stadiums and conservative laws that ban homosexuality, limit political expression and limit the sale of alcohol.
These disputes have overshadowed preparations for the competition, complicating Qatar’s efforts to present itself as a global power offering the world more than vital supplies of natural gas.
But three weeks of heroism and excitement on the pitch helped to soften the controversy as quarter-final matches ended in dramatic penalty shoot-outs and the underdogs triumphed over the football giants to pave the way for two much-anticipated semi-finals.
Fears that the tournament would exacerbate the smallest country, in terms of geography and population, to host the World Cup also proved unfounded. Sixty matches were successfully held, with only four remaining.
“Many of us underestimated Qatar’s ability to organize this tournament, but they finally pulled it off. The logistics ran smoothly and the infrastructure worked well,” said a Western diplomat in Qatar.
Initial global attention focused on the controversy over FIFA’s plans to penalize teams for wearing “One Love” armbands in support of LGBT+ rights and displays aimed at stadium security in support of anti-government protests in Iran.
A European diplomat said the tournament provided a platform for political issues. “From a Western perspective, the criticisms have not disappeared,” he said. “You can’t separate sport and politics. But when the game starts, it’s the game, not the politics, for the next 90 minutes.”
Restrictions on the sale of alcohol in the conservative Muslim country attracted much attention before the tournament began, but many visiting fans ignored the matter.
“We believe this is the most inclusive World Cup,” Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told the Washington Post last week. “Everyone comes here and enjoys playing football.”
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Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
