This is the way humans are. We are morally conflicted by lots of things nowadays given increased awareness and advances in understanding inequalities but social and cultural customs are real things, as is the power of global corporate marketing. Add all that to the powder keg of the past few years and yeh - things like the World Cup represent a glorious distraction for millions of people who are also aware of the wrongness of Qatar hosting.
Can only those with vegan diets who don't use aeroplanes and cars talk about climate disaster? Can people that only wear and use ethically sourced clothing and electronics talk about corporate corruption? It really isn't as simple as you are positing it. I only ride a bike and use public transport. I rarely eat meat, though I do sometimes - does that make me self-serving and mean I should shut up? To what extent do we need to be committed to being completely perfect individuals that we get to talk about how wrong things are but are still basically forced to consume them because of global corporate monopolies on markets (such as FIFA and the World Cup)?
Before getting into it, thank you for this response. It's a reasonable opinion and I appreciate the way you've framed it. Personally I disagree and that comes from being broken hearted seeing so many friends and a large population of my countrymen in general feign caring for so long and turn the other way in the face of a genuine choice
when it came down to it they ignored white supremacy and sexist, chauvinist rhetoric because the economic and other self serving implications far exceeded their willingness to stand up for "the other". So that disillusionment enters this subject area as well.
If you're telling others to be more mindful of climate change and animal welfare then yes, you absolutely should be avoiding leather goods and eating plant based. Or to your point , making a strong effort to change. Credit for doing that as well. I'm 100% animal product free myself for some time.
But I don't expect everyone to do the same..
My real issue is with those who are talking about it online and calling out others for not recognizing something like climate change and not doing anything themselves.
In the specific case of football, look at the post right below yours here talking about sports washing. If someone is going out of their way to criticize others for their supporting a football club or tournament due to these socio-political issues then I expect them to not watch the World Cup or follow United after takeover or any of City's games or what have you.
I'd prefer someone to just say they were okay with human rights violations and that's why they'll watch the world cup.
I also have a strong suspicion that many of the anti - middle east influence in sports commentary is racially motivated. It's not fair of me to judge like that but honestly the last several years have proven that giving people benefit of the doubt in this category was overly optimistic and naive. Again, if it were truly about the implications around the nature of ownership of United then this thread should be filled with "abhorrent state. I will not watch United if a takeover happens the same way I am not going to be watching the WC this year for the same reasons."