The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been the focus of unprecedented debate since the Arab state won its hosting bid in 2010. While many international sporting events have fuelled moral discussions over the human rights records of the host countries – such as the controversy over China’s suppression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang ahead of the Olympics in Beijing this year – none have been as viciously attacked as Qatar.
Western ex-pats are among the biggest beneficiaries of the unfair and unjust wage distribution in Gulf states, including Qatar, but this issue has not gained traction in western coverage. They are often offered attractive compensation packages, including relocation and accommodation expenses, along with tax-free salaries.
Western hypocrisy is also evident, as British journalist Piers Morgan has pointed out, in the behaviour of media corporations. While condemning Qatar’s human rights record and labour conditions for foreign workers in relation to the World Cup, these same companies have sent their staff to enjoy the affordable luxuries made possible by these very workers.
A French reporter was asked about his first impression of Qatar, and he replied that it had “lots of mosques”. Such comments reinforce the notion of westerners feeling discomfort outside of the traditional European environment. But why shouldn’t other countries be able to host the World Cup and showcase their own cultures and traditions?
FIFA President Gianni Infantino accused Western countries of “hypocrisy” saying they were not in a position to give “moral lessons” to other nations, hours before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar.
In a fiery news conference in the Qatari capital on the eve of the tournament, the Swiss Italian said Europe should address its past crimes before pointing fingers at Qatar.
