2022 FIFA World Cup controversies

The awarding of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to Qatar has raised a number of concerns and controversies regarding Qatar's suitability as a host country and the fairness of the FIFA World Cup bidding process. Criticism from various media outlets, sports experts and human rights groups highlighted issues such as Qatar's poor football history, the expected high cost, the local climate, bribery in the bidding process and Qatar's record of human rights violations although other parts of the world do not focus as much on these concerns.

The choice of hosting the World Cup in Qatar has been the source of considerable controversy. Criticism focused on Qatar's multiple human rights violations, particularly the treatment of migrant workers, women and the position on LGBT rights, leading to allegations of " sportswashing." Others have cited Qatar's intense heat and lack of a strong football culture, as well as evidence of bribery for hosting rights and widespread corruption within FIFA. Several countries, clubs and players declared boycotts of the event, and former FIFA president Sepp Blatter twice said that granting hosting rights to Qatar was a "mistake".

 Human rights 
Various groups and media outlets have expressed concern about Qatar's suitability to host the event, due to serious questions about respect for human rights.
In October 2022, some European national teams announced that their respective team captains wear armbands alluding to support the LGBT. A few days before the start of the World Cup, FIFA warned that players wearing such a badge would be reprimanded, so the European federations backed down on their intentions to wear a badge in LGBT colours.

IIn an interview for the German television channel ZDF, one of the ambassadors of the World Cup, former international player Khalid Salman, declared that ‘homosexuality is a mental damage’. Following these statements, representatives of the organising committee interrupted the interview.

 References 

Category:2022 FIFA World Cup