Why Should We Boycott the Qatar World Cup?
A boycott is a great way to show that we don’t approve of the way the 2022 World Cup is being organised. Qatar has a long history of human rights violations, including the outlawing of homosexuality, which is punishable by death. Freedom of speech is also severely restricted, and journalists have been imprisoned for speaking out. Domestic violence is also legal, and the government has a long history of repression of women. Those who boycott the World Cup will be sending a message to FIFA that we don’t agree with their policies, and they will be forced to change their ways.
A boycott of the World Cup has become a personal issue for many football fans. Imagine watching the France-Australia World Cup game and thinking that you’re not doing your part to protect the lives of migrant workers in Qatar. Would you sit in your seat and cheer for France? If so, then you’re supporting the waste and environmental degradation of the country.
Moreover, the human rights conditions in Qatar are shocking. According to Amnesty International, migrant workers in the country are living in squalid conditions, denied exit visas, and have their passports confiscated. In addition, they are not properly compensated for their work, and are often misled about their status. These conditions are akin to modern slavery and considered illegal under international law.
In a recent Odoxa poll for RTL, 39% of Norwegians wanted the national team to boycott the World Cup. Despite the widespread support for boycotting, the FFF have never considered cancelling the trip. France recently won the World Cup and will defend its trophy in front of Putin. The Russian president has been in power since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Workers constructing the stadium for the 2022 World Cup were abused and exploited by construction companies in the country. Many of them are forced to work long hours and aren’t paid properly. They are also deprived of their rights, including the right to strike. Some of them are even scared to leave the worksite, and this is unacceptable.
Melanie C, better known as Sporty Spice from the Spice Girls, said she couldn’t support the tournament because of the country’s history of discrimination against gays. She also criticized David Beckham’s role as the ambassador of the tournament. The football player received a $10 million check to be the face of the tournament, and she said that it is hard to support a person who is married to a woman who has had an affair with the president of Qatar.
We also have to consider the fact that Qatar is the smallest country to host the World Cup. Switzerland hosted the World Cup in 1954, but their population was much smaller than that of Qatar in 2010. The population of Qatar was only one million in 2010, and Uruguay had 1.7 million at the 1930 World Cup. This has led some people to question the strength of its football culture.