Qatar World Cup

A really long post - where you studiously avoided the challenge I posed to you - let me try again:

"So, what does this 6,500 tell us about the mortality rate for migrant workers in Qatar? Are you able to work it out, or do you want me to do it for you?"

There will be plenty of accommodation (for every budget) - perhaps even too much.

And as for transport, they built a 4-line metro and a huge motorway network connecting all parts of the city.

You can be sure that some “fans” will do their utmost to provoke a reaction, and they will happily post sob stories about their inhumane treatment afterwards. Those are not the people who genuinely want to make a difference, but the same lot who will do anything for their 10 minutes of internet fame.

There have been articles, like this one, which have touched upon the dangers that some local people feel as a result of the outside pressure via the western media. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63649154

You can only guess how much worse this will be if local authorities see that their laws and customs (as backwards as they may be to us) get ridiculed.

Anyone with half a brain would already have researched it and either not gone or spent their money on UAE and day trips to Qatar.

And the reality is that there will not be many fans from competing nations going to this relative to the numbers that usually travel.

Many of the "fans" of the competing teams will look very like the fans of the home team.

Really? Show us a link for accomodation thats currently available in Qatar.....

Just curious, as this is not what I had been told.

Agreeing to the alcohol and then wanting it pulled last minute is bllsht though. Alcohol is not illegal in Qatar so it should not be an issue.

I have no problem with a Muslim country hosting the World Cup I just don't think Qatar was the right one.

But its arguably the one best able to deliver it.

Now that it’s here, and ready to go, you have to wonder for all the money they’ve spent and all the preparation they’ve done, are the Qataris socially ready to have the spotlight on their country for a month? Given the incidents so far around journalists filming/taking photos and rowing back on alcohol, they seemed determined to only let fans enjoy the country on their terms, really getting more strict as the tournament nears. And even though the numbers of travelling fans might be smaller than usual, it would still be a large amount from 31 other countries all at the same time in a country that just isn’t used to that amount of tourists. I expect there will be a fair few negative incident on social media between fans and Qataris who feel their country has been disrespected, but I suppose we will see.

(i) Many if not all have the same stance on alcohol and same stance on LGBT.

(ii) A joint bid can always be pitched as being better than an individual bid.

(iii) Yeah Turkey could possibly do it. It has its own issues. Plus, it didnt bid.

Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present) - Wikipedia

Every bid has flaws obviously (whether it's Brazil, England, China or Australia). There's always social or logistical problems, or historical (even contemporary) conflicts.

If the World Cup was in UAE, Turkey or the Northern African triumvirate that I suggested, then there'd doubtless still be some sort of fuss. Not saying any of them are perfect, just questioning your assertion that Qatar is the best placed Muslim country.

Pointing out that these other countries didn't bid is just silly - all you are saying then is that Qatar is the best Muslim country that bid for 2022, which is clearly a self-evident truth!

I think it was Tim Vickery, footy journo on Newstalk OTB the other night, who said that some of the opinions on this wc are slightly hypocritical.

He pointed out that when England hosted the WC, homosexuality was still illegal.

Also gave other examples such as Argentina 78. The country was under the rule of a brutal, murderous regime.

Playing devil's advocate here, but perhaps it's unreasonable for us to expect Qatar to be as Liberal a place as every Western European country when it isn't one? Not every country is on the same developmental timeline. You don't have to go back too far in irish history to see a time when gay people were persecuted too.

Perhaps in 40 or 50yrs it'll get to where we are? Perhaps not, due to religion. But is it fair to expect them to adopt our values immediately just cos they are hosting a WC?

He said the same on Second Captains tbf.

And while homosexuality was banned when the WC was in England FIFA didn’t proclaim a core value of theirs was football for every gender and sexuality at that time.

The Argentinian WC wasn’t given to the regime that hosted it I believe, they took power afterwards.

Qatars bid shouldn’t have been taken seriously at all, Australia and the US were far better options for fans and players alike. The only reason they got it is they have money.

I honestly don't think we will see this world cup out.

Given the stances teams are starting to show towards human rights, potential for protests and Qatar getting increasingly strict as the time gets closer it seems it's going to be a toxic place for teams and fans over the next month.