Qatar World Cup

Jamal Fix It said:
Look at it this way – having the WC there will shine a huge spotlight on them. What they thought would be a huge coup for the region may well end up backfiring on them.
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It already has in a way. The couple of documentaries have shown that progress has been made over the past 12 years but change like that is always going to take a very long time.

It’s the same as F1 going to various countries in the region. We shouldn’t expect they change everything instantly, but progress is there even if it’s seen as baby steps.
 
N19 said:
Is anyone off here going? I’ve got tickets for either of Englands R16 games if they get out of the group. Appreciate I’m in the minority but I’m quite looking forward to it, I’ve never been to the Middle East not seen England at an international tournament plus I’m staying with a friend who lives out there.
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I'm going but only for the England v Wales game and flying in and out back to Dubai on the shuttle flights. I was going to stay with my mate but he's just left Qatar so that plan changed.

Toronto John said:
Doesn't really affect me either way. Much like the commentators all bent out of shape because of the LIV golf tour. Don't like it? Don't watch it.
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The LIV one is so full of hypocrisy it's actually funny watching people try and argue it. "Saudi money bad" all over twitter while they hit their clubs and wear their clothes made in Chinese sweatshops. Saying that the tour is not for profit and that it's only for sports washing when they've done everything they can to distance the fact it's Saudi owned. Imo their diversification plan away from oil via PIF will be successful in the long run, people just can't seem to think about a decade or two in the future and instead only focus on the money being spent now to build the future asset.
 
Iran banning spectators and eventually muting the audio part of the match stream just shows that these 'rogue nations' wield too much power in world football. I know it's their government(?) and not their players who are responsible but I hope they let in a hatful every game!
 
Jacks said:
You could be right, though I think the more unpleasant aspects of the Country will be kept well away from camera
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I always remember how much the media seemed to hone in on the favela's in 2014; hoping our esteemed journalistic talent will do some similar work this December.
 
Jamal Fix It said:
Look at it this way – having the WC there will shine a huge spotlight on them. What they thought would be a huge coup for the region may well end up backfiring on them.
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I agree with this view. It seems pretty clear that most regimes in this area are pretty corrupt/backwards/prejudiced/unethical to our relatively even handed and enlightened way of thinking/living but it doesn't do any good just to criticise and ostracise these countries. Dialogue and exposure has got to be the only way to make things better. They may well try to gloss over/hide their terrible human rights abuses, my guess is most Western media will find them out, and it will backfire unless the Qataris work to improve things- even a little. It'll be interesting to see how it goes. Maybe this is being overly optimistic, very probably is as they need to change an awful lot- we'll see!
 
Toronto John said:
Doesn't really affect me either way. Much like the commentators all bent out of shape because of the LIV golf tour. Don't like it? Don't watch it.
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Well it doesn't personally affect me too much either but if you're happy to support a tournament awarded through blatant bribery and corruption that has been built on the backs of thousands of dead slaves then good for you.
 
zigger zaggar said:
Well it doesn't personally affect me too much either but if you're happy to support a tournament awarded through blatant bribery and corruption that has been built on the backs of thousands of dead slaves then good for you.
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Does that mean that you won't be watching? No LIV golf? Skipped the China Olympics?
Let's face it, we support these guys every time we take the car out for a spin. Or jump on a plane. Yes, they are reprehensible, but so are many other regimes that we put up with and support, one way or another, in our daily lives.
 
Toronto John said:
Does that mean that you won't be watching?
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I genuinely have no intention to, but sadly I will be unlikely to avoid it and no doubt my support for England will make me watch England's games. That is another (far less important) reason why I would have preferred England to have boycotted it then I would not have had the dilemma of to watch or not.
Essentially I don't believe it should ever have been awarded to Qatar and should never be happening there.
 
zigger zaggar said:
I genuinely have no intention to, but sadly I will be unlikely to avoid it and no doubt my support for England will make me watch England's games. That is another (far less important) reason why I would have preferred England to have boycotted it then I would not have had the dilemma of to watch or not.
Essentially I don't believe it should ever have been awarded to Qatar and should never be happening there.
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Yeah, I can't disagree with that. If nothing else, who plays the WC in November?

I guess my point, which came from other posters not you, is that there is a tendency today to become all aggrieved about issues .... but without action because, for most of us, there is no particularly effective action. I don't feel the way you do about the WC, but I said numerous times that I would have been in favour of Canada boycotting the Olympics.
He said, wearing his made in China t-shirt .........
 
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