Really? That's quite a claim. Who actually said they thought 'the west' were morally superior? I don't think anyone who was against this world cup in Qatar spoke in such broad and basically racist terms. That was more the counter to human rights concerns. But I may be wrong.
Boycott The Qatar World Cup?
- Thread starter OldSchoolManc
- Start date
Vuvuzela ban is a good decision, isn't it?
Oh come on !
It won't because the media wouldn't mention it and turn a blind eye to it as will all the people here that are boycotting. I'm not defending Qatar, I watched the world cup in Qatar and will watch the world cup 2026 too but if you truly believe that the media/majority of the Western population will criticise it anywhere near as much as they did with Qatar then I really don't know what to say.
Maybe you didn't see the BBC/ITV coverage of this world cup for example. I can guarantee there will be no mention of the USs transgressions when it's hosted there.
I don't think the main pro boycott posters were saying that at all actually.
IMO Western countries are usually brought up in an attempt to misdirect the conversation away from Qatar 2022.
Actually I didn't say anyone did praise the Qatari regime.
It is a bit bizarre though now you mention it that people find boycotting a world cup held by a regime (that you said) nobody will praise anything but admirable, and it some cases those posters are being laughed at and ridiculed.
That's weird right? I mean you must understand that there's something a bit wrong if we have 20+ pages of defence here but no praise for the host?
Here's an example, if you criticise USA in the run up to their world cup I won't feel the need to rush in here and point out hypocrisy and anti western sentiment so my contribution will be minimal (therefore less posts) in that theoretical boycott thread.
In this instance you and I will go back and forth because you feel that Qatar is getting a disproportionately tough time (50+ pages) while ignoring the fact that discussions like ours make up the bulk of it.
It's not 99% Qatar bashing.
It's pages upon pages of circular arguments that I would honestly say is close to a 50/50 split.
Aside from a lot of whataboutism. I spoke to some folk who've worked in those conditions and they were looking forward to the WC. Also many of the them were in contact with people who were still working there and they were also looking forward to it as well. They saw it as positive for the region and wider area. So, yeah any type of inclusion is good enough for me. There were plenty of people who were anti Qatar and they very genuine but the a high portion seemed to have an agenda. And I didn't want to be a part of that. Make no mistake it's a disgusting regime that exploits poverty. And it's upto nations to stop their poor from getting exploited by these pharaohs. (and the likes of Apple too....).
The difference is that there was plenty to criticize in connection with the tournament itself, whereas with the 2026 WC you're apparently expecting the press to bring the same level of criticism for things unrelated to the WC.
For example migrant worker exploitation was very relevant, because they were building stadiums for this WC exclusively. While as another example the suffering the US and their allies caused in the ME has no direct connection to the tournament, so I can already guarantee you that it will be less of a topic in sports broadcasts.
There were some posts along the lines of 'it's our job in the West to bring enlightenment to these backward barbarians in Qatar' which I found pretty distasteful
I reported a few such things but not all
Well I definitely feel that Qatar could be less of an oppressive regime in many aspects but I wouldn't word it that way.
That said Rood but the combination of posts you reported, compared with those you liked on this subject make you quite the unreliable witness.
Let's not change the narrative now. LGBT was a major part of it and has nothing to do with the event itself. In fact it was definitely prioritised over the Migrant Worker exploitation.
Please.
I think it turned into an us Vs them.
Yeah, it did, and to be honest I think the cartoonish accusatory shouts of 'The West' to anyone who cared about human rights was a major factor in that. Most of the people who had issues with Qatar are the same people with issues against 'The West' in the CE forum. I know on my global list of feckers most are western. It's an absurd development for human rights concerns, and one that aids the oppressor and not not the oppressed. Always. There was global applause for us legalising gay marriage and nobody took that solidarity as any sort of attack on us a nation.
Mo, you're definitely one of those who genuinely cares but I've had people ask me 'are you boycotting the world cup then?' - folk I know for a fact who weren't particularly bothered but for some reason loved echoing the media narrative. It just put me off.
Yeah, that's the world today. Piggybackers abound. They come and they go. But we can't let them feck the narrative. These discussions are so messy and nuanced, because there is an element of truth in pretty much every post in this thread, but people use these fragments and weaponise them towards a win, and have no real stake in the debate. It's to own the libs, take down the arrogant west or have a go at the Muslims. It's increasingly difficult to see genuine opinions for what they are.
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To those who did boycott it, how difficult was it for you? I was surprised during the early stages, that it was quite easy. I only got tempted a bit during the last few games.
I knew I would miss out on great football, I knew I would miss out on a very long list of amazing moments. I have missed out on seeing what everyone is saying was the greatest WC final ever. I missed out on seeing Messi win the WC. Its the first WC I have missed since 1970 and I basically watch every game at every WC.
I have stayed out of all those discussions and will do in the future because I missed it.
Im also completely at ease with my decision and the reasons why I did boycott it. I have friends who went and the overwhelming vast majority of my friends watched the games on tv. I have no problem with that, I dont judge anyone who watched the games and also dont feel any moral superiority.
It was awful. I love the World Cup. But to keep myself sane I read a lot about FIFA and the darker stories around the money and I may never watch one again. To put this 'drama' in context I have struggled with supporting United since the early 90's when we put so much of efforts into crass commercialisation, so it's always been a niggle and has required a lot of willful dissonance on my part.
Very difficult from a footballing fan point of view because the WC for me is the greatest football competition. I love the qualifying games, I love the twists and turns there and being in a country that has only ever made 2 WC competitions I understand how special it is for many countries just to qualify. I watch virtually every game when WCs are on. I prefer the WC to the Champions league.
On the other hand it was easy because I am secure in my reasons and beliefs for my boycott.
I am not looking forward to the next WC because for me 48 teams is just far too many, it dilutes how special and difficult qualifying can be and Ive watched FIFA in the last 20 years become more corrupt and more interested in money than the actual game. Maybe its because Im just a grumpy old man now and am jaded with FIFA but I still watch a lot of local grassroots football and love the game itself.
This has been a topic in European football since way before this year:
If the US decide to ban rainbow flags or make laws that allow them to throw people in jail for being gay, then I can guarantee you would see a strong reaction, too.
This thread is 12 months old and has featured several posters claiming weird things. Some said that Qatar is equivalent to Nazi Germany. Other posters have suggested that the Middle East, including Qatar, is a dangerous place for foreigners. Some have also argued that human rights abuses are only worth considering if they occur within certain geographical regions. The underlying premise of these arguments is that as "morally evolved progressive westerners," we have a moral obligation to lecture them...
My favourite is the "We let them have it"
So loads and loads of general disillusionment. I share that sentiment. I have distanced myself from football quite a bit, in the sense that I have basically stopped being a classic club fan (difficult to support a club like Bayern when they are part of so much I disagree with) and now only watch games, but basically nothing around them. Only tune in seconds before the start, don’t watch at halftime or after the game. That helped me. Until Qatar, which was just too much for me.
The thing is, I know myself. I know watching the World Cup would only have made me angry as hell. So why even watch it? It’s supposed to be fun, after all.
But what you guys are saying is the same thing I’m hearing from friends and family. So many of them love football. And so many of them are fed up with it. Qatar seems to represent a step too far for most of them. It was just that one event that was so grotesquely and overtly corrupt, it just didn’t feel right or even remotely excusable to take part in.
People were banned from entering stadiums if their clothing had rainbow on it… Qatar made it relevant with their weird homophobia.
Ironically, by the simple laws of scientific probability, there were obviously numerous gay players in the tournament itself that they banned rainbows from… so LGBT stuff was definitely relevant.
It seems that many are not aware that rainbows existed before it was used with LBQT, maybe someone wears t-shits with rainbows on just because they like rainbows.
It's always been us Vs them, it's just that the "us" and the "them" keeps changing depending on what's popping at that particular time.
Yeah. Qatar did two things that caused the tipping point in my opinion. It crystalised the existing issues we knew were there with FIFA in a kind of feck You way, Corruption in plain sight. The idea that their name was pulled put with Russia was like a bad joke. Then when the material issues of human rights were highlighted on top of what was already barely tolerable, the backlash was inevitable. Qatar are no angels but they were wrong place wrong time in some ways.
Meh - I only reported a handful of posts and that was after you encouraged doing so!
And I 'Like' stuff I don't agree with all the time - whether I did in this thread or not, I don't remember
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It was easy, to be honest. With how much a part of my life the LGBTQ+ community is, coupled with the human rights abuses to make this tournament happen, i couldn't in good conscience watch it. I didn't even feel tempted, nor do i feel that i missed out. This feeling is compounded by knowing the corruption associated with the 2018 and 2022 bids and a general dislike and distrust of FIFA, i am glad i made the choice.
I boycotted it once England went out
I was originally planning a visit to Qatar. I had tickets to a few games. However, I did a bit of a research about all the controversy surrounding this World Cup. I read content from international human rights organisations and articles in local Nepalese media (I absolutely love Nepal, having done some trekking there in the past). I have seen, first hand, poverty in South Asia. There are people who'd do anything to make ends meet. People died making this World Cup a reality, based on my limited research. I couldn't bring myself to visit Qatar. Sold the match tickets & instead went to Italy for a holiday. It really helped that nobody cared about the World Cup in Italy. I did catch 4-5 games, including the final, during weekend visits to various pubs.
At the end of the day, it is a personal choice. I don't care if others went to Qatar & had an amazing time. It is the World Cup, after all.
At the end of the day, it is a personal choice. I don't care if others went to Qatar & had an amazing time. It is the World Cup, after all.
I’m not surprised it was easy given which country you were supporting
This World Cup should be remembered for its racism. But Qatar is not the victim
Pete Pattisson
https://www.theguardian.com/global-...ed-for-its-racism-but-qatar-is-not-the-victim
Pete Pattisson
https://www.theguardian.com/global-...ed-for-its-racism-but-qatar-is-not-the-victim
Now I'm confused. We're not the racists now?
Now we are all racists.
No. I am very relieved.
Ah FFS. One step forward ...
I am equally curious if you or anyone who boycotted it apply the same logic to other parts of life. Ie do you avoid electronic products made in factories with bad human rights records(Apple). Do you avoid clothes manufactured by companies using sweatshops?
And im not trying to be funny by the way, im genuinely curious.
Partly. If I can choose, I usually buy the less problematic product. There are also companies I try to avoid. But again, not possible to do everything right here. So I’m just trying my best.
Yeah, whenever possible. It's impossible to be 100% consistent and you are relying on the media to highlight certain things at certain times. I try not to spend money to the benefit of people I don't agree with. It's really tricky and there's always some twat trying to undermine activists because they have a latte. You shouldn't have to abstain from society to make a stand or to genuinely want it better.
Hang on though Moses… does this journo work for a ‘Western media company’…?
If so, whatever she’s writing must be discounted. Unlike the pro Qatar media - because that’s objective and unbiased
Because you see, she has an agenda and something to gain, whereas Qatar clearly do not.
Sure it’s not clear what her agenda actually is… and beyond being a cackling Islamophobe I can’t see what on Earth herself or her employers would get out of this angle.
And sure, the Guardian has decades and decades behind it of highlighting social injustice and calling out Islamophobia, including calling out the very leaders of Britain itself for being Islamophobic…
But be sure, whenever reporting on the fair and just methods of the perfect and gracious Qatar - the Guardian becomes racist.