The FIFA soccer world championship (WM) 2022 is just about to start (November 20th) in one of the richest countries of the world: Qatar 🇶🇦
Are you also wondering, why a small country, called Qatar, is interested in hosting the world championship this year? A country which had or has nothing to do with soccer. Well, you wouldn’t be the only one. Newspapers, podcasts and other media are busy reporting about it, even wondering if this is a „soccer championship of lies“?
The promise of FIFA: first sustainable WM ever. Is this true or a lie? We’ll check on that later.
Thousands of people, mostly from Nepal, traveled to Qatar for work, building stadiums and preparing for this huge event. By entering Qatar they had to hand over their passports, entry & exit were controlled. Some of them worked so hard under non humane conditions, they never made it back home, sadly passed away (officially, according to Qatar authorities, they died a natural death or accident). Their dream of bringing money back home for a better life – just a dream. Promised salaries didn’t get paid full, some couldn’t even pay back the debts from credits which had to be taken to afford traveling to Katar. As a side note, also German and other western companies earned their money by supporting the WM.
Hearing all of this makes me wonder, what kind of country is Qatar? On one side, one of the richest countries in the world, on the other side, not paying people for their work or providing humane work conditions? Let’s keep those circumstances in mind, when the first soccer game will be on in a few days.
Qatar, a small (population 2.8mio, only 300.000 are Qatar citizens) but rich country (biggest natural gas field of the world, estimated value of 35 billion US$). Qatars President is married to 13 (!) women and father of 13 (!) children. 8 new stadiums were built, one more extravagant than the other, built on dessert ground. Qatar spent about 200 billion US$ for this WM – the most expensive WM in history.
Back to soccer: who wants slavery in football? And what is the job of a soccer player? Is it enough to just play soccer because FIFA decided the location of the WM (and rules are set automatically)? Or is that too easy, and soccer players should take (more) responsibility? Is it enough to wear an armlet „one love“ pro diversity & against discrimination, like the Germans plan to do?
Homosexuality is forbidden in Qatar. In fact, a „wrong behavior“ could lead to a penalty in prison. And once more, I am wondering, is Qatar the right location for fair play?
The CEO of the WM welcomed „everyone“ – really? Isn’t this rather all about PR & show? This clearly seems not to be about human rights. Women also have no or very limited rights: if they want to travel, they need a man’s approval. Also, women are not allowed to play soccer: it’s forbidden, it’s too aggressive.
On the other side, health insurance including hospitals are free for the Qatar citizens. If required specialists are locally not available, you get a trip to a hospital in a foreign country – all inclusive & paid by the government. Men get free land to build a house. Ok, this is how it works.
Freedom of press? Not in Qatar (Qatar made it on the list to no. 119 out of 180 countries).
So, back to the question: why did Qatar win to host the WM in 2022? Well, the answer is not really surprising but still frustrating: an exclusive circle of FIFA, also called „the old white men circle“, made the decision (all beside 2 of those old men are no longer part of FIFA, reason: betray, corruption). How much does it cost to win and become the country of hosting the next WM? Roughly, a couple of millions! Who can afford that? It smells a little like corruption… Money rules the world. That’s known. It’s still very sad. Annoying. Frustrating.
The soccer seems to be loosing its basis! And that’s dangerous! A world championship should be here for all. Human rights watch & other human right companies are requesting 400 billion US$ compensation.
It looks like, that this WM lost it’s magic already a long time before it even started! Should Qatar have even be nominated back in 2010 to host the WM? Shouldn’t it go to countries where human rights play a role, not only for the time of the WM?
Well, FIFA decides on the host country. Money seems to make the decision.
Red carpet or red line?
Back to the question: is this the most sustainable WM?
Well, the carbon neutral calculations is a nice one (and a fake one): stadiums are supposed to last 60 years, but only used by the WM for 1 months. In other words, the calculation is considering a 4 week emission out of 60 years. Nice try. Wrong calculation.
27C degrees in Qatar in November – perfect soccer game weather. 144 soccer fields with natural gras, because that’s the FIFA rule. Each field needs „only“ 63.000 liters of water. Daily.
Last but not least, Qatar sold itself CO2 friendly certificates by founding its own company. How clever. How corrupt.
Changing rules of Qatar was never the goal. No rights for women, workers or homosexuals. It was always about money!
The best WM of all times? Maybe a lie!
Thanks, Thomas Hitzlsperger, for your very interesting podcast! Keep it up!
Stuttgart547 