Boycott The Qatar World Cup?

[youngrell]

The whole bidding process/outcome was clearly a farce and the human rights issues are legitimately a concern.

However, all those moaning about it breaking the league season don’t seem to care about the summer edition breaking up South American and other nations’ seasons usually. It is a World Cup after all, not a European one.

I can’t imagine many will be keeping their word when it comes to not watching. The hype will start a few weeks before and it will pull them back in.

 

[Pickle85]

No, you don't. This is an example of tu quoque fallacy and it, like all logical fallacies, is flawed and has no place in debate. "Don't bother taking a stand against one wrong-doing if you're not going to take a stand against all of them." "Why save the whales if you're not going to save the rhinos?" The Qatar WC is a totem to bribery and corruption, built with slave labour. If people want to boycott it for these reasons then good.

Absolutely. So frustrating to see people knocking him for voicing an opinion...like it'd actually be better for him not to take a stand about anything.

 

[ROFLUTION]

There's something funny about you boycotting it and streaming it illegal will possibly result in a stream with arab commentators, which is always a special pleasure They're a bit like brazilian commentators but faster, except I dont understand a single word

 

[Zlatattack]

Nobody boycotts Israeli teams in the CL or Europa and thier govt is busy massacring children.

Boycott Qatar stinks of European snobbery and selective outrage.

I won't venture into why this is the hill people choose to be outraged on.

 

[studs]

People will want to watch all the lovely football players melt in the scorching heat. There won't be much boycotting of this I'm afraid to say.

 

[Ladron de redcafe]

People will want to watch all the lovely football players melt in the scorching heat. There won't be much boycotting of this I'm afraid to say.

It's taking place in the winter. It will be hotter than usual, but won't be in scorching hot conditions.

 

[Red the Bear]

I think that the 1980 World Cup was boycotted so effectively that people even forgot about its existence!

Did you mean the 1978 one in Argentina?

Oh my bad, both 1982 and 1978 were suspect so I just averaged them in my mind. Enough is said about the Argentina one and i believe the Spanish edition was won under dubious circumstances under franco's lobbying.

 

[studs]

It's taking place in the winter. It will be hotter than usual, but won't be in scorching hot conditions.

Yeah, forgot about winter temperatures. Even more reasons not to boycott it.

 

[harms]

Oh my bad, both 1982 and 1978 were suspect so I just averaged them in my mind. Enough is said about the Argentina one and i believe the Spanish edition was won under dubious circumstances under franco's lobbying.

1978 is remembered by most as arguably the worst/most corrupt tournament in modern history (so, excluding the one from 1934). Fair enough on 1982, that one is remembered very fondly.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Boycott why?
‘They were awarded it illegally’ - so go boycott FIFA then, they awarded it.
‘They have no football culture’ - see above for many places that held it who weren’t seen as footballing nations (and now, bizarrely are, maybe the WC helps..). By the way the Qataris - and the rest of the ME are football mad..
‘Stadiums have been built under poor conditions’ - there’s more focus on this and workers conditions than any building project ever. Who built the Russian ones (low paid immigrants..)
BTW if you can go there it’ll be a blast; amazing facilities, all the stadiums are a 5 min taxi ride from each other so no moving around a country and the stadiums themselves are great (and yes I visited one a few weeks ago)
It’s just more racist bullshit - but it’s Our Game not theirs (‘theirs’ in this case being Arabs..)

You have, rather tactfully, swerved around the biggest issue at play here. The death count. Unless you're aggregating it with the point about "poor conditions", which is an enormous understatement of such an atrocity.

For the record, this time last year, the count was 6,500. I couldn't see a more recent figure. Can that many deaths really be justified, just to host a football tournament?

 

[Gehrman]

You have, rather tactfully, swerved around the biggest issue at play here. The death count. Unless you're aggregating it with the point about "poor conditions", which is an enormous understatement of such an atrocity.

For the record, this time last year, the count was 6,500. I couldn't see a more recent figure. Can that many deaths really be justified, just to host a football tournament?

Pretty much this.

 

[djembatheking]

It's coming home.

 

[Pintu]

For the record, this time last year, the count was 6,500. I couldn't see a more recent figure. Can that many deaths really be justified, just to host a football tournament?

"2.3 million women and men" around the world succumb to work-related accidents or diseases every year. The poor working conditions of people are part of our everyday life. And the construction industry has a disproportionately high rate of recorded accidents. So 6000 over 12 years is a very small part of it.

Is Cantona talking about the big firms, mostly from Europe, that actually did build these stadiums?
The firms who took advantage of Qatar's poor labor law to maximize profit at the expense of the workers' safety.

 

[kouroux]

Every nation have the right to host the world cup. Who cares about when it takes place?

No. Every nation doesn't have the right to do so. Nations that can afford and are willing to bribe FIFA officials have a chance to do so

 

[P-Ro]

Boycott the World Cup and question it's legitimacy? This is just a 'get outta jail free' card by the Irish to be used when we win the World Cup this year.

 

[Sky1981]

You have, rather tactfully, swerved around the biggest issue at play here. The death count. Unless you're aggregating it with the point about "poor conditions", which is an enormous understatement of such an atrocity.

For the record, this time last year, the count was 6,500. I couldn't see a more recent figure. Can that many deaths really be justified, just to host a football tournament?

Is this number legit? What defines a slave labor? Chains and balls? Contracted worker passport worker being held until they finished their contracts isnt exclusive to qatar, singapore i think did that under the guise of hired immigratns, so does many other European expat under the pretext of working condition visa subject to employment. Just different wording.

It's hard not to be skeptical with western publications as they tend to write whatever they feel like writing.

Qatar pays big money for labor from poorer country, many go there for quick bucks, yes the working condition is dangerous due to nature but i doubt they're whipping workers and deliberately trying to kill as many as possible.

And many local labor supplier doubling as mob and financiers actually finance their paperworks, tickets etc and they should pay a certain amount of theie salary or their loved on at home would get a visit from one or their goons. This is the main reasom workers mostly dont run away. Off couse the hiring countries pretend to dont know any of this.

 

[Sky1981]

No. Every nation doesn't have the right to do so. Nations that can afford and are willing to bribe FIFA officials have a chance to do so

Fifa has no obligation to give it to england.

This is a private party, fifa as the holder has all the rights to award it to anyone they wish.

Yes including taking the highest bidder.

Blatter probably took the money wihtout consulting the rest of the member, but i see nothing wrong if fifa wants to get the most out of their event. They're not a charity after all.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Is this number legit? What defines a slave labor? Chains and balls? Contracted worker passport worker being held until they finished their contracts isnt exclusive to qatar, singapore i think did that under the guise of hired immigratns, so does many other European expat under the pretext of working condition visa subject to employment. Just different wording.

It's hard not to be skeptical with western publications as they tend to write whatever they feel like writing.

Qatar pays big money for labor from poorer country, many go there for quick bucks, yes the working condition is dangerous due to nature but i doubt they're whipping workers and deliberately trying to kill as many as possible.

And many local labor supplier doubling as mob and financiers actually finance their paperworks, tickets etc and they should pay a certain amount of theie salary or their loved on at home would get a visit from one or their goons. This is the main reasom workers mostly dont run away. Off couse the hiring countries pretend to dont know any of this.

No idea if it is slave labour, as I didn't say it was. Whether they're slaves or highly paid workers, 6500 deaths on 5 stadiums is a disproportionately large amount.

That figure was reported by numerous major news outlets worldwide last February though. I haven't seen anything on the contrary of it.

 

[the_cliff]

No, you don't. This is an example of tu quoque fallacy and it, like all logical fallacies, is flawed and has no place in debate. "Don't bother taking a stand against one wrong-doing if you're not going to take a stand against all of them." "Why save the whales if you're not going to save the rhinos?" The Qatar WC is a totem to bribery and corruption, built with slave labour. If people want to boycott it for these reasons then good.

Yes, that's up to them....

They can boycott the Qatar world cup because of working conditions and slave labour while wearing their brand new United kit and Nike Air Max's. Just makes them hypocrites.

But if I choose not to, it's also alright, no ?

 

[Marwood]

Every nation have the right to host the world cup. Who cares about when it takes place?

Every nation has a right no matter how they behave?

 

[tenpoless]

I agree. Its the ex players and legends than need to speak up about this and with the help of social media hopefully it will spread like wildfire and make a huge impact. The players that are still playing wont risk a chance to play in the World Cup, as much as they dont like Qatar as host.

 

[minoo-utd]

No, you don't. This is an example of tu quoque fallacy and it, like all logical fallacies, is flawed and has no place in debate. "Don't bother taking a stand against one wrong-doing if you're not going to take a stand against all of them." "Why save the whales if you're not going to save the rhinos?" The Qatar WC is a totem to bribery and corruption, built with slave labour. If people want to boycott it for these reasons then good.

Better blame Fifa for this. You accuse Qatar of being corrupted but what about the most corrupt organization above all, Fifa? Maybe boycott football?

 

[VanDeBank]

They should just make it so the winner gets to host the thing. Like Eurovision.

Thread title should be changed to "King Eric". Not using his title is blasphemous. @OldSchoolManc

I think that the 1980 World Cup was boycotted so effectively that people even forgot about its existence!

Did you mean the 1978 one in Argentina?

Yes.

 

[the_cliff]

Every nation has a right no matter how they behave?

No, not really. However, once you've given a world cup to Russia and the US it becomes hypocrisy.

Nobody was calling to boycott the US and Russia world cups but when it's the Arabs hosting it's different. Or are those countries allowed to violate human rights ?

The next one is in America, let's see if there's a thread to boycott that one ? You know, based on them bombing half of the middle East, Police brutality and pure racism ?

The Western media and public is full of hypocrisy. It's actually funny. Nobody came out saying boycott the London Olympics .

Or is the UK and the UK government full of saints and angels ? they weren't in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria killing innocent people ?

 

[Ladron de redcafe]

Every nation has a right no matter how they behave?

Were you okay with the United States hosting it in '94? Or Russia in 2018?

 

[Furious George]

This will be the last World Cup with any real merit if the plans to expand to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament are carried through.
16 groups of 3.

Collusion! Collusion!

 

[bennywise]

agree agree

 

[the_cliff]

Absolutely. So frustrating to see people knocking him for voicing an opinion...like it'd actually be better for him not to take a stand about anything.

Oh No, I'm not knocking Eric at all. I like Eric because he's consistent in his opinion. For example, countless times he's called out the racism of the French government when it comes to their immigrants from Africa.

My problem is people that will call to boycott this world cup and then turn around and watch the 2026 world cup in America/Mexico with no shame. Wouldn't you say that's a double standard ?

 

[Wolf1992]

No, not really. However, once you've given a world cup to Russia and the US it becomes hypocrisy.

Nobody was calling to boycott the US and Russia world cups but when it's the Arabs hosting it's different. Or are those countries allowed to violate human rights ?

The next one is in America, let's see if there's a thread to boycott that one ? You know, based on them bombing half of the middle East, Police brutality and pure racism ?

The Western media and public is full of hypocrisy. It's actually funny. Nobody came out saying boycott the London Olympics .

You say western public as if most western people will boycott Qatar WC...they won't, only a minority are moaning about it on the internet.

Some people were complaining about the WC being held in Russia, yet lot of people watched it.

 

[the_cliff]

You say western public as if most western people will boycott Qatar WC...they won't, only a minority are moaning about it on the internet.

Some people were complaining about the WC being held in Russia, yet lot of people watched it.

Yeah my bad, that was just a generalisation on my part. But you do have to admit that we all know come 2026 there won't be calls to boycott that edition of the world cup and threads opened regarding it ?

National teams have come out wearing shirts and stuff like that. I'm willing to bet my life savings that they won't do that for the US in the next edition.

 

[Giggsyking]

Every nation has a right no matter how they behave?

If England, USA, Russia can do it, ANY OTHER NATION should.

 

[Giggsyking]

No, not really. However, once you've given a world cup to Russia and the US it becomes hypocrisy.

Nobody was calling to boycott the US and Russia world cups but when it's the Arabs hosting it's different. Or are those countries allowed to violate human rights ?

The next one is in America, let's see if there's a thread to boycott that one ? You know, based on them bombing half of the middle East, Police brutality and pure racism ?

The Western media and public is full of hypocrisy. It's actually funny. Nobody came out saying boycott the London Olympics .

Or is the UK and the UK government full of saints and angels ? they weren't in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria killing innocent people ?

I was just going to write that.

 

[Random Task]

Boycott why?
‘They were awarded it illegally’ - so go boycott FIFA then, they awarded it.
‘They have no football culture’ - see above for many places that held it who weren’t seen as footballing nations (and now, bizarrely are, maybe the WC helps..). By the way the Qataris - and the rest of the ME are football mad..
‘Stadiums have been built under poor conditions’ - there’s more focus on this and workers conditions than any building project ever. Who built the Russian ones (low paid immigrants..)
BTW if you can go there it’ll be a blast; amazing facilities, all the stadiums are a 5 min taxi ride from each other so no moving around a country and the stadiums themselves are great (and yes I visited one a few weeks ago)
It’s just more racist bullshit - but it’s Our Game not theirs (‘theirs’ in this case being Arabs..)

Why am I not surprised you're a "Citeh" fan.

Anyway, way ahead of you Eric.

 

[90 + 5min]

I don't think boycotting is to go with because it really doesn't matter for big companies or countries. They have enough of power and money either way and they just don't care. I do understand the moral point of view but at the same time no country is free from being gulity of some kind of moral faliure. It all depends from what point of view you are looking at things.

What I'm actually feel is bad is breaking up season to play internationals. I rather see ManUtd play in league and cups.

 

[Marwood]

No, not really. However, once you've given a world cup to Russia and the US it becomes hypocrisy.

Nobody was calling to boycott the US and Russia world cups but when it's the Arabs hosting it's different. Or are those countries allowed to violate human rights ?

The next one is in America, let's see if there's a thread to boycott that one ? You know, based on them bombing half of the middle East, Police brutality and pure racism ?

The Western media and public is full of hypocrisy. It's actually funny. Nobody came out saying boycott the London Olympics .

Or is the UK and the UK government full of saints and angels ? they weren't in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria killing innocent people ?

So you want to keep rewarding terrible theocracies with prestigious tournaments just to avoid hypocrisy? Seems incredibly shortsighted. How about starting a new way? Punishing nations who behave badly. Be it Qatar, UK or USA.

Were you okay with the United States hosting it in '94? Or Russia in 2018?

wasn't ok with Russia. Was 13 in 1994.

But nations don't have automatic rights regardless of actions. It's not how it works.

If England, USA, Russia can do it, ANY OTHER NATION should.

I absolutely detest this idea that all nations misbehave equally. It's awful.

People in western democracies exisiting with the highest living standards and highest levels of freedoms humans have ever experienced, comapring those democracies to Qatar and the like. Get real.

I'd love to experiment, let those people go live in Qatar for a couple of years. Then tell us the UK or USA is just as bad. Hopefully you're not poor, female, gay or an atheist.

 

[the_cliff]

So you want to keep rewarding terrible theocracies with prestigious tournaments just to avoid hypocrisy? Seems incredibly shortsighted. How about starting a new way? Punishing nations who behave badly. Be it Qatar, UK or USA.



wasn't ok with Russia. Was 13 in 1994.

But nations don't have automatic rights regardless of actions. It's not how it works.




I absolutely detest this idea that all nations misbehave equally. It's awful.

People in western democracies exisiting with the highest living standards and highest levels of freedoms humans have ever experienced, comapring those democracies to Qatar and the like. Get real.

I'd love to experiment, let those people go live in Qatar for a couple of years. Then tell us the UK or USA is just as bad. Hopefully you're not poor, female, gay or an atheist.

The next world cup will be in the US.

Problem is the majority of the people that are having their human rights violated by Western Democracies aren't based in said Western Democracies. If only Western Democracies held themselves as accountable as Qatar/UAE in terms of human rights maybe they wouldn't have blew up half the middle East.

Only in the West will you invade a country based on apparent weapons of mass destruction, not find said weapons, take the countries oil, meanwhile more than a million innocent people die in the same invasion but then complain about worker safety conditions in Qatar.

And if you go to America hopefully you aren't Black, Arab or Muslim.

But again, in 2026 there will be no thread in the caf saying Boycott the 2026 world cup.

I have no problem with people boycotting the Qatar world cup, however, unfortunately all nations aren't held as accountable for their actions as Qatar is. I wonder why that is.

 

[Pickle85]

Oh No, I'm not knocking Eric at all. I like Eric because he's consistent in his opinion. For example, countless times he's called out the racism of the French government when it comes to their immigrants from Africa.

My problem is people that will call to boycott this world cup and then turn around and watch the 2026 world cup in America/Mexico with no shame. Wouldn't you say that's a double standard ?

No, why would watching the world cup in America or Mexico constitute a double standard?

 

[Pickle85]

The next world cup will be in the US.

Problem is the majority of the people that are having their human rights violated by Western Democracies aren't based in said Western Democracies. If only Western Democracies held themselves as accountable as Qatar/UAE in terms of human rights maybe they wouldn't have blew up half the middle East.

Only in the West will you invade a country based on apparent weapons of mass destruction, not find said weapons, take the countries oil, meanwhile more than a million innocent people die in the same invasion but then complain about worker safety conditions in Qatar.

And if you go to America hopefully you aren't Black, Arab or Muslim.

But again, in 2026 there will be no thread in the caf saying Boycott the 2026 world cup.

I have no problem with people boycotting the Qatar world cup, however, unfortunately all nations aren't held as accountable for their actions as Qatar is. I wonder why that is.

This is a facile oversimplification of what was a complicated conflict. It's also a facile generalisation of an entire country's attitude towards race. America has the infrastructure to host the world cup without throwing billions of pounds at it as well as thousands of migrant worker lives.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Boycott why?
‘They were awarded it illegally’ - so go boycott FIFA then, they awarded it.
‘They have no football culture’ - see above for many places that held it who weren’t seen as footballing nations (and now, bizarrely are, maybe the WC helps..). By the way the Qataris - and the rest of the ME are football mad..
‘Stadiums have been built under poor conditions’ - there’s more focus on this and workers conditions than any building project ever. Who built the Russian ones (low paid immigrants..)
BTW if you can go there it’ll be a blast; amazing facilities, all the stadiums are a 5 min taxi ride from each other so no moving around a country and the stadiums themselves are great (and yes I visited one a few weeks ago)
It’s just more racist bullshit - but it’s Our Game not theirs (‘theirs’ in this case being Arabs..)

Absolute car crash of a post.

 

[NYAS]

So you want to keep rewarding terrible theocracies with prestigious tournaments just to avoid hypocrisy? Seems incredibly shortsighted. How about starting a new way? Punishing nations who behave badly. Be it Qatar, UK or USA.



wasn't ok with Russia. Was 13 in 1994.

But nations don't have automatic rights regardless of actions. It's not how it works.




I absolutely detest this idea that all nations misbehave equally. It's awful.

People in western democracies exisiting with the highest living standards and highest levels of freedoms humans have ever experienced, comapring those democracies to Qatar and the like. Get real.

I'd love to experiment, let those people go live in Qatar for a couple of years. Then tell us the UK or USA is just as bad. Hopefully you're not poor, female, gay or an atheist.

Maybe. If you’re white.