Well, the much-discussed and highly controversial World Cup Qatar 2022 is almost upon us!
By the time the host nation kicks off the opening game against Ecuador on Sunday November 20th, all the talk will have ended and the wait will be over. At last, it will be time for purely football to do the talking, which will be a great relief to many!
But what’s the story with this much-maligned tournament? Why has it been so controversial since its selection? Never fear, our crack team here at The Flag Shop can shed some light for you! But it won’t be all super-serious, don’t worry - We’ll also highlight how you can help cheer up the nation and be part of the campaign to support the Three Lions (or whoever your team may be, in fairness) and have a jolly good party!
On December 2, 2010, FIFA announced that Qatar would host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, bringing the world's most prestigious tournament to the Middle East for the first time in the tournament's 92-year history. Instantly, this lit the touch paper and sparked off a global debate on the surprising choice.
The Human Element
Unquestionably, far and away the strongest complaint from those who say Qatar should not have been awarded the tournament hosting is the nation’s awful Human Rights record. There have been reports of horrific working conditions faced by migrant workers engaged in the construction of numerous stadiums and infrastructure required for the tournament. It gets worse - In 2021, The Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers had died in the county in the decade after it won the right to host the tournament.
Homosexuality is outlawed and highly punishable, alongside numerous other discriminatory policies that are attributed to the culture and laws of the land. Strict guidelines are in place on many elements, including alcohol sale and consumption. This hardly lends itself well to hosting a giant, global event where hundreds of thousands of overseas visitors (of all creeds, faiths, sexualities etc) will be descending on the nation.
So how on earth was Qatar awarded the event?
Corruption allegations….
This is not the first time that word has been associated with FIFA, the football global governing body, it has to be said. Amid claims that oil-rich Qatar ‘bought’ the World Cup winning bid, FIFA has refuted all allegations and insisted the choice was fully merited and part of the ever-expanding globalisation of the game. Since the decision, numerous allegations and convictions of money laundering and corruption were upheld, casting a dark shadow on the whole decision.
The Infrastructure & Climate
Qatar does not exactly boast a rich tradition of football. A quick glance back at previous World Cup host countries shows that without exception, they are football hotbeds or powerhouses. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil and so on. Their domestic league attracts minimal global following, and a relatively tiny population alongside next to no stadia infrastructure when the choice was made just makes the decision seem more and more strange.
Not to mention that the temperature in Qatar can approach 50 degrees Celsius in the height of summer, hence the shift to an unprecedented Winter slot. Purists across the globe were horrified - A World Cup, in winter?? And what havoc would this wreak on all of the competing nations’ domestic league schedules? Well, a fair bit, it has to be said. Domestic managers have complained passionately about this increased fatigue demands that are now being placed on players due to the packed football calendar. Essentially, we are having to squeeze what is normally a full season’s worth of games into three-quarters of a season in terms of time. Injuries to players have increased, and many are not happy.
Acceptance, tolerance & support?
So where does this all leave us? Well, the decision was made long ago, and the tournament will be going ahead, of that there is no doubt. Protestors continue to make their voices heard, and recently the Australia football squad released a social media video questioning Qatar’s human rights record. For their part, officials deny such wrong-doing and insist that workers’ conditions have been improved drastically including the introduction of a minimum wage . In terms of visitors, they insist that “everybody is welcome.’ this remains to be seen, but let's hope so.
After much pressure, in December of 2020 Qatar did announce that it would comply with FIFA rules of promoting tolerance and rainbow flags promoting equality will be allowed in stadiums at the 2022 World Cup. So that’s something, and definitely a healthy sign…
Most of us simply hope that in spite of all of the negativity and ugly controversy that we’ve seen, a successful and joyous global event that displays tolerance, equality and acceptance of one another may actually be possible here - And not only that, it would be seen as a real victory for anti-discrimination over discrimination, and to that end could actually be a pivotal moment.
From a national and sporting perspective, England have a fantastic chance to finally lay the ghosts of 1966 top rest by actually winning the event, having reached the semi-finals of the last tournament in Russia 2018, plus the finals of Euro 2020 tournament. Many feel the mid-season winter slot offers England more of an advantage than the usual mid-summer timing, where end of season fatigue and injuries seems to have cost the team on many previous occasions.
It’s clear that the last couple of years have been pretty awful, with the dreadful Covid-19 pandemic being followed by numerous economic pressures, the fuel & cost of living crisis, the passing of the Queen and so on…So it’s fair to say we could all do with a lift! Well, nothing lifts the nation’s spirits quite like England World Cup fever!
If the Three Lions can make a positive start with their first group game against Iran, then by the time they play the USA & arrive at the enormous domestic scrap with Wales, then England's homes, streets and walls will surely be decked out in St George England flags and classic English St George Cross Bunting, not to mention the St George hand flags, St George car flags and even St George Table flags for office desks! It is a wonderful thing when the fever really starts to grip the country, and we all share in it.
World Cup Flag packs and World Cup Bunting packs will no doubt be visible adorning any establishment (let’s be honest, pubs!) that shows the games, as they include the flags of all competing nations! Talk about inclusivity!
In summary, what we all hope we get is a true sporting festival, and one that is carried out with a perhaps surprising amount of tolerance and empathy. Let’s face it, we could all do with some more of that right now!
And if England do slay their demons and finally win, well ……that’d be quite nice too. 🙂
