Shining a spotlight on human rights
The grand finale of the Qatar World Cup 2022 is quickly approaching, with nobody able to predict who will win the tournament. I have been keeping up - not willingly - but between pulling pints; the cheers from people would draw my eyes to the screens. We placed our bets at work, pulling a slip from an envelope in a kind of team building sweepstakes. We each paid €10 to enter, with the winner taking all. Unfortunately I pulled the USA, so my expectations were never too high.
This year’s world cup has been controversial to say the least. Firstly, the location of the host country has outraged many fans causing them to avoid watching the football games. Of the 2.931 million people living in the Emirates, only 12% are Qataris leaving the country dependent on migrant workers. In some cases, these people earn life-changing wages and live happy and fulfilled lives, however this cannot be said for all.
The middle-eastern country embarked upon upgrading the infrastructure and playing facilities in preparation for the World Cup, building seven new stadiums, an expanded airport, upgrading roads and transport systems and also constructing several hotels. All of this was at the expense of its workers.
The Guardian reports that over 6,500 people have lost their lives since 2010 when Qatar’s victorious bid to host the world cup was celebrated. This figure includes statistics from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It excludes a number of other countries and data since 2020, making the real death toll higher.
Although exact causes of the deaths are not stated, I don’t think their specific link to building the tournament’s infrastructure is relevant. If anything, the tournament has put a spotlight on a serious issue - more important that a football game. The country has what is known as a kafala system, leaving employees at the mercy of the employer; unable to change jobs or leave Qatar without consent.
When it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, homosexuality in Qatar is punishable by up to three years in prison; while same sex marriage is not recognised by the government. All sex outside of marriage in the country is illegal. Women need permission from a man to get an education, to travel, marry and cannot be the primary carers for their own children.
In a situation where the father of the child has died or their parents are divorced, the child is handed over to the government if there is no male relative to take on the role of guardian.
It is for these reasons, among several others, that many football fans will avoid the tournament this year, be it in person or on screen. Working in a sporting pub in the most international city in Europe, it was out of question that we would play the same pub music, while our neighbours benefitted from a full house. Even on this scale, it's plain to see how one can so easily ignore violations of basic human rights in the name of profit.
I know in my heart and soul if I didn’t have to watch the games at work, I would not watch the tournament at all. I’ll be honest in saying this has more to do with my lack of interest in the game than the issues surrounding this particular tournament. Despite this, I did find the atmosphere interesting to say the least.
To be able to say I worked in an Irish pub in Brussels during the world cup is pretty amazing. Unlike home, where I know the locals have sat in the same seats every evening (sometimes I wonder if they were given a seating plan) each evening's games brought a new crowd. It was amazing to see fans shouting for their country, cheering for their wins and crying for their losses. Different flags adorned the shoulders of customers every evening, shaking them high in the air when the ball hit the back of the net and wrapping them tighter around each other when the opposition scored.
It has been an eye opening couple of weeks since the tournament began on November 20. People celebrate their wins and mourn their losses in different ways. The city centre has been vandalised, people have been asked to calm down and bar staff have been near to breaking point at times.
It’s easy to see from my writing what aspect of the World Cup I have been more focused on. I couldn’t tell you one key highlight from the games themselves. For me, it opened my eyes to the inequalities we have in this world. It was amazing to serve people from so many different cultures, which I think should be one of the key aims for the tournament – bringing people together for the love of sport without despair in the process.
Postscript
Thanks for all your messages of support since my passport was stolen. You will be glad to learn that my replacement passport has arrived and I will make it home to Ireland, Cavan and Cornafean for Christmas!
* Gemma Good is from Killeshandra and a third year journalism student in University of Limerick
READ MORE