Are the criticisms against the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar justifiable or hypocritical?

I am not a sports-watcher. I just read, hear and listen about cricket news like a customer smelling sample fragrance at a Macy’s. Football, or soccer as it is called in the US, is out-of-reach. I am familiar with the game, how it’s played and me playing it in-person or through video games. This year’s World Cup in Qatar is being criticized for a lot of reasons. It’s fair to say major sporting events are always scrutinized for different reasons. However, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is being heavily criticized for human rights violations. The question is, are these criticisms justifiable or hypocritical?

There is no doubt gross human rights violations have occurred in Qatar to prepare for the World Cup. Migrant workers were brought and exploited from countries like India and Bangladesh to the Middle East through the kafala system (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMqLDhl8PXw). They were forced to build stadiums and luxury buildings to boost the country’s reputation for those who could afford to travel for tourism and the World Cup. While all this criticism is justifiable, the same can be said about colonialism by European countries. England in the nineteenth century transported migrant workers, or slaves from India to countries like Guyana and South Africa (An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India). Not to mention the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade to the Americas. Even the New York City Subway is built by migrant workers (722 Miles).

Alcohol is banned in Qatar due to religious policy. A lot of fans are upset they could not enjoy having a drink. It may hurt fans coming from countries where alcohol is legal but not the fans coming from countries where alcohol is banned. If a country like Qatar has a no-alcohol policy then you should follow it. Dubai is not far from Doha. Why not just fly there to enjoy having a drink with your buddies?

Another major criticism leveled against Qatar is its oppressive policies towards women and the LGBTQ+ community. All these criticisms are justifiable in my opinion. However, my problem with this criticism is, did the world just found out about Qatar because of the 2022 FIFA World Cup? Or when they won the hosting rights? If the criticisms against Qatar’s repressive policies towards women and the LGBTQ+ community is being leveled due to this Middle Eastern country hosting the World Cup then this doesn’t help much. Plus, western countries should not forget their own oppressive policies towards women and the LGBTQ+ community. I mean, it took more than a hundred years for women in America to vote.

Has Qatar won the World Cup bid through bribery? I suggest you read a book called Red Card. Is FIFA a corrupt organization? Again, read the book Red Card and watch John Oliver clips about FIFA. Does Qatar have the right to host the World Cup? Like every country, it does. Are the allegations against Qatar justifiable? To an extent, yes. The problem is, countries that are amplifying allegations against Qatar about human rights violations should take a good look at themselves before criticizing. Western countries have a ‘special take’ on the Middle East (read Edward Said’s books). I’m guessing the western media is exaggerating the criticisms against Qatar because of it being a Middle-Eastern Islamic country.

Every sporting event brings excitement and controversies. The 2022 Qatar World Cup is no exception. There is a John Oliver clip during the 2016 Rio Olympics in which every country’s team is marching towards the crowd while television anchors point out what is wrong with their countries (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-LPcVo7gC0). So, it’s no surprise for Qatar being scrutinized for hosting the World Cup.