‘Symbol of modern day slavery’ – Boycott Qatar trends on Twitter amidst many FIFA World Cup 2022 controversies

The FIFA World Cup 2022 is currently underway in Qatar, but the mega event has been fraught with controversy. Qatar was named host in 2010, an astonishing development that sparked bribery allegations. Many controversies have occurred since then.

Since 2010, 18 members of FIFA’s 24-person executive committee have been implicated in or investigated for illegal activity, and FIFA’s reputation has been irreparably harmed. The Gulf nation’s human rights record, however, is the source of the most controversy in this World Cup.

Foreign workers make up 85% of Qatar’s 3 million-strong population, and rights groups have documented abuses and harsh working conditions. The Guardian reported last year that approximately 6,500 South Asian workers had died since Qatar was awarded the World Cup.

There are fears that LGBTQ fans will come down at Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. Homosexuality, according to a Qatar 2022 ambassador, is “damage in the mind”. Other contentious issues include stadium beer bans, press freedom, and player workload (64 games in just 29 days, smack in the middle of the European club season).

According to ESPN, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani stated in a speech last month that Qatar “has been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has ever faced”.  He added, “The campaign tends to continue and expand to include fabrications and double standards that were so ferocious that it has unfortunately prompted many people to question the real reasons and motives.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino slammed European critics of World Cup host Qatar, implying a double standard in his own continent. Infantino listed Europe’s problems on the eve of the mega event in Qatar, which has been dogged for years by criticism of the emirate’s record on human rights and treatment of migrant workers who built stadiums and infrastructure.

“What we Europeans have been doing for the past 3,000 years we should be apologizing for the next 3,000 years before we start giving moral lessons to people,” Infantino said to the international media. He stated that Qatar and its capital, Doha, will be prepared to host the “best World Cup ever.”

Meanwhile, ‘#BoycottQatar2022’ has been trending on Twitter amidst all these controversies.

Here are some of the Twitter reactions