Stadiums built with the sweat of migrant workers exploited in indescribable conditions and, sometimes, to death – the human cost of the works has been estimated at 6,500 deaths in 2021 by the guardian -, an emirate ignorant of human rights and respect for minorities, the aberrant carbon footprint of a world organized in the middle of the desert… To say that the World Cup that will begin on November 20 in Qatar concentrates criticism.
But while in France a movement begins among the city councils to abandon collective meetings and giant screens during the World Cup, the initiatives and positions of international leaders remain cautious. On the other hand, NGOs and public opinion do not hesitate to express their desire for a boycott out loud.
On Monday, it is the Paris city hall that announced that it would not install a giant screen and would not set up a “fan zone” in its streets to follow the tournament. From the capital to Vénissieux, passing through Bordeaux, Marseille, Strasbourg, Rodez, Bourg-en-Bresse, Villeurbanne and above all the pioneer municipality of Lille, many cities have decided to adopt this form of boycott to express their opposition to the organization of the World Cup in Qatar and the politics of this extremely wealthy and tiny Gulf state.
The initiative is not isolated. As the media point out here Brussels timetables, the Belgian capital will also ignore collective broadcasts. However, beyond these few promotions to the battlement of the councillors, it is clear that the national authorities are much more timid.
Shy reactions in the middle of football
No international leader has yet expressed a wish not to visit the emirate, despite calls to do so, particularly within the French political class. And among the qualified teams, none thought to spend their airline tickets in the shredder either. This does not exclude showing some good intentions. Thus, the French Football Federation said on Tuesday that it was working with several of its counterparts to establish a compensation fund for workers injured at World Cup sites.
the Deutsche Welle He pointed to the invitation launched by the German federation in the direction of these migrant workers to visit the base camp of their team during the competition, so that they can exchange with the players. The institution also campaigns for the strengthening of labor rights and protections in Qatar.
For the rest, the protests that can be expected from the selections will be rather cosmetic… Or rather textiles. Thus, the Danish equipment manufacturer produced for the occasion shirts in a solid red “so as not to be too conspicuous” in a tournament with such a deadly organization, or black “color of mourning”. Argentina’s purple away shirt will be a display of inclusion and promotion of gender equality, according to a tweet from the local federation.
In the football department, that’s it, as long as you add the position of former footballer Philipp Lahm, who pleaded with the media Kicker that “human rights play a greater role in awarding a tournament” in the future. An expression that is not anecdotal to the extent that the former captain of the mannschaft chairs the organizing committee of the next European Championship.
Boycott… or take advantage of the showcase?
But it is rather from civil society that the strongest criticism of Qatar emanates. Amnesty International therefore called the competition a “World Cup of Shame”, shedding a damning light on a system based on forced labor and paltry wages. The French branch of the NGO even piloted a petition titled “make the cup see reason.”
The text does not call for his boycott but to turn it into a political showcase:
“The World Cup is an opportunity to highlight this situation and make a difference for these thousands of workers,” explains the organization.
“In France, we have a role to play. The French Football Federation must ensure that all service providers it uses in Qatar respect human rights.” The petition has so far accumulated 65,000 signatures.
Public opinion at the forefront?
A mobilization that should not be so surprising, in public opinion, some are hostile to the Qatari meeting. On the British side, former English footballer David Beckham even drew the ire of his fellow citizens in early September. Ambassador of the company Qatar Tourism, he agreed to sneak a commercial: “It’s perfection for me. It’s an incredible place to spend a few days.”
In Germany, a survey published in March 2021 in Der Spiegel he further stated that 54% of Germans were pushing for a boycott outright, 14% were going in the same direction and had some additional reservations. In France, 65% of French people think there should be no official French representative on site and 55% even think the Blues should refuse to take part in the competition, according to a recent BVA poll for RTL.
And the controversy begins to spread, overflowing the World Cup alone. Thus, the conciliation between a critical position towards the world and a peaceful or indifferent view regarding the shareholders of the Paris-Saint-Germain club now seems untenable for some.
This Tuesday, the environmentalist attached to the mayor of Paris, David Belliard, actually regretted that the Parisian team belongs to the emirate: “PSG is a private club so we do not have its capital structure in our hands. But yes, I’m sorry” . and I denounce it.”
From Qatar to Saudi Arabia
This growing international antagonism towards Qatar reminds us that it has already recently been the subject of diplomatic harass. Accusing Qatar in 2017 in a context of geopolitical tensions of being too benevolent towards Islamist regimes or militias, its Egyptian, Emirati and especially Saudi neighbors had severed all relations with it. However, the crisis calmed down in January 2021.
It must be said that in terms of human rights or respect for minorities, Riyadh has nothing to belittle Doha. Not even in terms of sporting and ecological aberration: Saudi Arabia obtained, this Tuesday, the organization of the 2029 edition of the Asian Games… in winter. In the middle of the desert.
Source: BFM TV
