With reporting by Riham Sheble
Following a flurry of reports about FIFA 2022 World Cup bribery allegations in UK newspapers, Britain’s Ambassador to Qatar, Nicholas Hopton, has issued a statement to all Arabic language newspapers in Doha, stressing the independence of the UK media, and making clear that the British government has no influence over what it publishes.
In the statement – which was sent out solely in Arabic, and only to Arabic language media in Qatar – Hopton said that he had been “saddened” to read recent articles in Qatari papers that suggested that “the British government does not support Qatar,” and that “it has been encouraging the latest media coverage around the 2022 FIFA World Cup.” He continues:
“The UK media is independent, and opinions expressed in it do not reflect the UK government’s opinions. The British government’s stance is very clear and as our Prime Minister has said in the past days, this is a matter for FIFA and we cannot prejudge the results of the investigation FIFA is conducting.”
Finally, the Ambassador references the close relationship between the UK and Qatar, describing them as “strategic partners,” adding that relations between the two countries are “stronger than they have ever been.”
“The British government has worked closely with the Qatari government, supporting its preparations to host a successful World Cup tournament and to realize its 2030 vision. We will continue doing that,” he said.
Twitter backlash
A series of articles recently published by the UK’s Sunday Times allege that Qatar bribed FIFA Executive Committee members with payments totaling some $5 million to help secure support for its bid.
These stories, and others in the UK press, have generated ill feeling from some Qataris towards Britain, with some Twitter users alleging racism, jealousy and bias.
Last week, prominent Qatari media personality Ilham Badr went as far as calling upon her fellow nationals to boycott the UK this summer, in protest at the negative media coverage.
And yesterday, local writer Fahad Buhendi sent a tweet to the British Ambassador, telling him that he was attending a meeting at a Doha hotel that night “to discuss the racist #British media against #Qatar.”
Nicholas Hopton replied today, asserting that the UK was “not racist.”
The UK is a close friend and supporter of Qatar – not racist. @Fahad_Buhendi Today we will discuss the racist #British media against #Qatar
— Nicholas Hopton (@NicholasHopton) June 16, 2014
In a further response, he also stated that “UK media is independent of British Government.”
Meanwhile, a comment apparently posted by a British expat, ‘James,’ on a recent Doha News article focusing on the Sunday Times allegations has been shared widely on Twitter.
Jassim Al Rumaihi, who shared the comment, said that it had been written by a “British citizen with brain and heart.”
A great comment in @dohanews from a #British citizen with brain & heart #UK #Qatar #Qatar2022 #Doha pic.twitter.com/6xrA9u0YwD
— جاسم سعد الرميحي (@jassimalrumaihi) June 15, 2014
The author of the comment states that “just because these newspapers are based in Britain, it doesn’t mean they speak for Britain,” adding:
“The British press are simply printing as much ignorant, misguided information as they can, purely because they think if they keep throwing it about, it will stick, Qatar will lose the World Cup, and England will get it instead.
But I’ve got to stress they don’t speak for all of us. Please don’t suggest boycotting the UK, or start to treat British people in your country differently.”
Thoughts?
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/15/fifa-investigates-england-2018-world-cup-bid-payment
you can see the difference in tone and writing when they speak about qatar or the uk. but then again media bias is nothing new
I don’t see it. Please select a few of the paragraphs and sentences that you believe support your assertion.
Funny though that they are reporting about potential corruption within the UK bid. I can give you quotes all day from UK media criticising stuff within the UK. I think you should maybe all be a bit more critical in your thinking and question your leaders, rather than jumping on the racism card (particulalry as the GCC is probably the most rascist place I have ever been too)
they report but the language is far less harsh, not necessarily out of racism but more of national pride sort of thing.
to your second comment the UK for me was the most racist place i have been too. in qatar its more about exploitation based on status (usually financial) rather than racial. if workers were arab,african or asian there treatment wouldnt be much better. while in the uk when some drunken lunatic harasses or physically attacks someone its often because of there race
I will refer you to my previous comment, which colour of British people were most racist to you?
No matter how you read into the article, at least they reported it ,eh?
Here your status is purely based on race, including which passport you have, which ties into your financial status. Even your top O&G companies pay less for Asians doing the same job as a Westerner. Saying there is less rascism in the GCC is plainly ludicrous, I saw it every day when I lived there, and if you can understand a bit of Arabic, you can hear it everyday behind your back.
“I will refer you to my previous comment, which colour of British people were most racist to you?”
pretty much just the whites being ethnically diverse state doesnt = one without a problem with racisim
“Here your status is purely based on race, including which passport you have”
i believe as you stated there are many people of different races holding english/american/austrialian etc passports there status isnt based on there race or do you think british asians are working in industrial area?
there are many indians, koreans, africans whos financial status is much higher than the average worker and treatment is much better, so there financial status has nothing to do with there race. rather there level of education
companies pay less for asians/africans because there poor and hence willing to work for less, if europeans were as desperate they would be getting the same. its explotation of the poor it just happens that asians countres are poorer than european ones
“Saying there is less rascism in the GCC is plainly ludicrous”
it doesnt sound ludicrious to me, no one calls me paki/nigger or alqeda here when im minding my own business, in the UK that happened every weekend
You seem like quite a reasonable and sensible person so I feel the need to reply rather than ignore you like “love it or leave it”
I don’t think you will find anyone from the UK who would say that racism doesn’t exist, because to do so would be ridiculous.
However I think the reason that you experience less racism in Qatar is due to the fact that you look Arab (apologies if you are not)
Now ask any Asian expat if there is racism in Qatar and I think you will find a different answer….
From banning people with the wrong colour skin from the malls/corniche on a Friday. To determining peoples pay on the colour of their skin/passport etc etc
All of these practices would land you in jail in the UK. Which of kind of leads me back to you’re experience, you could of actually gone to the police and reported someone calling you a “paki” and they would of investigated it and prosecuted the person if they found proof!
Now can you imagine an Indian going to a policeman in Qatar and doing the same?
thank you, i try to be reasonable 🙂
“I don’t think you will find anyone from the UK who would say that racism doesn’t exist, because to do so would be ridiculous.”
i have found many who say it doesnt exist and other who downplay it until it seems like rare incidents and not an actual serious problem
“Now ask anyone Asian expat if there is racism in Qatar and I think you will find a different answer”
i have, and i admit there is a problem but at least a non violent one, there is the racial name calling (usually because of someone cut you off on the road or took your parking etc). in the uk we had to go out in groups (specifically in certain parts of the uk) for fear of being attacked by a drunken gang, in qatar correct me if im wrong but expats dont have to worry about a gang of qataris physically assaulting them
“From banning people with the wrong colour skin from the malls/corniche on a Friday. To determining peoples pay on the colour of their skin/passport etc etc”
i share the same skin colour as many of the people who are banned as do many of my indian/philipino co workers and friends there not banned. the ban is wrong but its based on social status not skin colour or race.
“All of these practices would land you in jail in the UK. Which of kind of leads me back to you’re experience, you could of actually gone to the police and reported someone calling you a “paki” and they would of investigated it and prosecuted the person if they found proof!”
cardiff st.mary street at the time used to be closed (cars cant enter on weekends) and several police officers would be around but they are far to preoccupied with the fights, passed out people and guys sexually hurrassing women to actually do anything. the things i mentioned happened in front of them and when reported at the time as soon as something happens the most they would do is ask us to “move along”
in qatar if a qatari physically attacked and killed an expat would get more than three years, in jail. in the uk it seems the price for brutally assaulting and killing someone for no reason other than there race seems to land you only a few year sentence
I can show you lots of examples of people getting more than 3 years jail time in the UK. The point is the sentence awarded to this guy was not reduced based on the victims skin colour. The reason the sentence was low, is that it was manslaughter, not murder, as the intent was not premeditated (although I think he should have received a longer sentence, but again not because of the victims nationality)
you attack a random person on the street because of there race and kill them and thats not murder 1? then i feel very sorry for you to live in a place where laws are helpful to murders
You know the difference between manslaughter and murder right?
I always thought beating a random stranger on the street to death because you don’t like there skin colour was murder. Guess the uk thinks I’m wrong
Murder has to be proven as intentional- quite difficult. If I had a picture of someone at home and planned to beat him to death and followed through with it, that is murder. If I went out and got in a fight and I threw a punch that killed someone it is manslaughter, which can also get you a life sentence. Anyhow, what jail sentence do you get for running someone over whilst driving like an idiot?
“Anyhow, what jail sentence do you get for running someone over whilst driving like an idiot?” In Qatar? Sadly, not a harsh enough sentence, and we do need that 🙁
They actually sentence people for that in Qatar?
Doc. Under English law, murder does not have to be premeditated. Intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm is the standard. Manslaughter, outside vehicular accidents, is rare.
Yes, intent is the key word.
“Got into a fight” is that how you describe what happened? An unprovoked attack against a teenager because of what race he is, is not an accident it’s intentional assault and a 3 year sentence for such a thing is a joke.
You are missing my point. I agree 3 years is not enough. I am saying the difference between manslaughter and murder is intent. So again, what is the Jail term for killing someone whilst driving recklessly?
The intent of a reckless driver is thrill seeking, not infecting bodily harm. If a driver said I crashed into the guys car because I don’t like his race and wanted to hurt him but didn’t mean to kill him. He would get a lot more than 3. Years
Not only the UK.
Unfortunately, in UK, people on the street have been beaten up, and died. because some drunken [email protected] has just had a row with his missus, nothing to do with skin colour. UK is not a utopia, but hopefully, disgust at such behaviour gets through to politicians who might address the problem?
Meanwhile, elsewhere, a plain [email protected] kills several innocent people, because it is OK to drive at 180 kph in a built up area.
I can avoid [email protected] in a big UK city by not going to where they behave like neanderthals. In the latter case I have to share the road with them simply to get to work. Magically, if they hit me. as an expat, I’m to blame!
If your driving rules were equated to street violence, and applied in UK, your victim would be castigated for maliciously hitting the poor Brit’s boot with his face?
the system may well be wrong or flawed on the length of the sentencing, but it is not inherently racist.
The difference in sentence comes down to intent. Yes the ASBO (look it up) meant to physically hurt his victim, but most likely didn’t mean to kill him (assuming of course). Racism is often about dominance and fear, not murder. Yes he fled, this shows some instinctual intelligence cos he knew he was in serious trouble.
Here on the other hand, Laura’s killer appears to have intentionally killed her, and then attempted to cover up the crime by burning her body. This shows a clear intent. Therein lies the difference.
Must be nice to live somewhere you can attack anyone unprovoked on the street because you don’t liike there face and get away with it as long as you say I only meant to hurt/cripple the guy not kill. Unless your a minority then it doesn’t look that niice to. Me
2. And were gona kill the SOB or at least let him rot in a hole for the rest of his life. It was shameful what happened but im glad we’re giving him a suitable punishment
So just to clarify. Taking someone you know home, raping them followed by stabbing them then taking their body into a desert and burning it to hide the evidence is the same as punching someone with a fist and them dying? How about jumping a red light mounting the kerb and killing someone. All the same outcome and all deserve the same sentence?
Ofcourse not, that’s why we sent the guy to death,im not saying sentence the english guy to death. I’m saying letting him off so lightly condones his actions. And he got off lightly percisly because he’s a white guy who killed a brown man. If the killer was brown and the victim white the sentence would have been harsher. I acknowledge that not all killing is the same, im saying we punish people who kill for race, you don’t. This case is just an example of the uk letting racial violence continue with little more than a slap on the wrist
Mohammed, The sentence would of been the same – We do not have a two or three tiered justice system like some countries. I suggest you visit the UK or read and learn more. Look at the UK crime statistics (White, Black Asian, Rich or Poor are all the same infront of a judge and jury) you should also read more on this case – The Idiot actually got 4 1/2 years http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/sussex/8378084.stm (It should of been more) but he didn’t attack the poor guy with a Knife or any weapon he punched him. I assume you have punched someone in your life Mohammed, did you punch them hoping they would die? I doubt it.
I cant reply to your comment Mohammed but this will be my last comment as we are getting nowhere and this is so far off topic and is completely irrelevant to the positive story. I do not agree with the sentence, I think it was lenient for a racist ****hole. Intent could not be proven so he was charged with manslaughter and gets a lower sentence. Had the poor man been white, Black, pink, green or blue the sentence would of been the same as Judges have a set tariff for the crime you are convicted of. And just to clarify, I never said it was a fight that got out of hand so I don’t know where you got that assumption from.
The harshest critics of the British government are the British. Listen to the BBC, Prime Ministers questions, Question Time on the BBC, or read the Daily Mail or the Sun.
Everyone has different experiences though, to me China was the most racist place I’ve ever lived, followed closely by Qatar. I’d argue many of the events in Qatar don’t even get public attention. I lived up near Al-Khor and it was understood that one didn’t walk on the beach in the morning if you were Indian or African or the louts on their four wheelers would beat you up. Just the way it is everywhere I fear.
Racism card? as if it doesn’t exist? UK is the most racist country I have been too and the brits are the most racist people I have met.
“a week before he was due to fly home to rejoin his family in Qatar, Mohammed al-Majed lay bleeding to death on a street corner, the victim of a racially motivated assault by a gang of white youths. He died in hospital the following day”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/murder-of-qatari-student-exposes-the-race-hatred-rife-in-hastings-912334.html
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/oct/16/hastings-qatari-student-manslaughter
which Brits do you mean? The white ones, the brown ones, the ones of Asian descent, the muslim ones, the irish ones, the ones from all over Europe, the ones whose parents came from the west indies or any of the other colours or creeds who call themselves British?
You are the one who previously denied that the holocaust actually happened, or if it did that the Jews and homosexuals deserved it (your quote). So you calling anyone else racist really falls on deaf ears.
Also calling it British media based racism, then quoting a British newspaper to prove your point, is somewhat ironic, if not idiotic.
its not the paper thats wrong its the people that did this, and the system that gave someone a 3 year sentence for beating a teenager to death. the killer is free now
This only proves that the UK has a racist Judaical system, just like their people.
Quite possibly the single most stupid comment I have read on here. If you want to know how well the UK Justice system stands up read this. http://data.worldjusticeproject.org/#
Now if you want to learn about who the least racist and most pleasant people are ask a Taxi driver in Doha……….
and the only defense they have for their racist system is .. to call others “stupid”. Well done.
No. I gave you an independent link to show we do not have a racist Justice system. Your comment was stupid, ill thought and completely untrue. No matter what your race or position in society in the UK you will get even Justice developed over 100 years. We even lock up people serving in the Government how many countries can state that….
Stop feeding the bloody trolls. They keep coming back for more mate. The problem with arguing with idiots and morons on the interwebs is that they drag you down to their level, and then beat you with experience.
Or simply ask the “colored” brits in UK.
what does ‘Coloured’ mean?? We are all coloured.
Said no white man ever.
You need to get out more or stop reading the Daily Mail.
Come back when you have a better argument.
Come back when you know what you are talking about.
I think you have some issues……
Well, in the US at least, the term “people of color” has been used to refer to people who are not classified as “White”. But I’m sure you already knew that 😉
Americans also say tom-ate-o instead of Tomato. But as I am replying to someone about the UK its equally as relevant.
Curious, what fun terminology is used in the UK to refer to the same groups? I know in Canada they use the term “visible minority” 😉
I don’t quite understand the Question?
Yes, and when I was at a conference in continental Europe a few years ago and the American representative started tossing that term around – she was asked to stop and explain herself. It was explained to her that the term made many in the audience uncomfortable and that to some it was non-sensical.
The Americans are in so many ways atypical, I’m not sure why they are so often used as examples.
You Hitchslapped him 😉
The most amusing typo for quite a long time. Was it accidental or did you mean to imply that the UK system was based on Jewish artefacts?
Your attitude is racist. Anyone who groups an entire nation under a heading is racist. Or stupid. You choose.
do you truly believe that the sentence was reduced because the victim was Qatari? If so there is really no point in continuing this discussion. Do you consider a punch to the head that killed someone, without the intention of murder being there, the same as burning a woman’s body to cover up a killing? If so, they both got three years.
my earlier reply was lost in dohanews for some reason so let me say it again
“do you truly believe that the sentence was reduced because the victim was Qatari? If so there is really no point in continuing this discussion”
because you refuse to believe that your system can be racist? if the nationalities were reversed yes there would have been a lighter sentence
” Do you consider a punch to the head that killed someone, without the intention of murder being there, the same as burning a woman’s body to cover up a killing? If so, they both got three years.”
i consider murder worse than helping cover a crime, we sentenced the killer to death. you gave a killer a slap on the wrist. i would also add every qatari over the age of 16 knows who lauren patterson is, i was in the uk when mohammed al majid was killed not a single english person knew or cared.
I believe individual British people can be racist, but I do not believe the system is inherently racist (as it is in the GCC, with a hierarchy of nationalities), and if part of the system in the UK is found to be racist, we do our best to try and correct that issue as soon as possible (unlike here were the elite pontificate about improving workers rights and the hoi polloi pull out the racism card anytime any outsider criticises their own racist practices).
I can provide you with numerous examples of British people serving life sentences for the murder of foreigners in the UK.
Not everyone knows about the murdered Qatari as there is 70 million people in the UK with on average 2 murders per day. Can you name them all? I couldn’t name all the ones that have happened this week? And saying no-one cared is patently untrue, and I would expect better from you, Shall I say no Qatari cared about the people who died at Villagio? That is also patently untrue, but can be better backed up than your statement, as the Villagio murder is still representing your country internationally, and I don’t see any Qataris having a problem with that?
Population of 250k vs 60 million (or 10-12 million for London)…. small village compared to a city.
Look racism is a fact of life. It occurs. It is legislated against and prosecuted in many countries of the world, but an a$$hole will be an a$$hole no matter where (s)he happens to be. You cannot define a whole a country and a metropolitan society like the UK by the the actions of a few and the gutter press that writes the tripe that we all end up talking about.
1. I’m not saying 10 million should know, I’m saying some people should. Ii went to the area where he was killed shortly after, to my genuin shock not a single person I spoke to in the same block where happened knew about it. (accept other international students in the uk to learn english)
2. I agree and for the record I do like the uk and have no ill will towards english people. Quite the opposite really I think most were kind, nice and interesting. However if someone is gona maake statements like “the gcc is the most racist place I have seen” then I would say you need to get off your high horse and look at yourself before you past judgment. Most expats think they can throw stones because there houses are brick, when in reality it’s glass just as fragile as the house your throwing stones at.
who lauren patterson was – not is
And yet in this country the killers of 19 are free to roam the world and not turn up in court…..
If they had physically assaulted anyone to death they wouldn’t be free unlike the uk. Also I would add some of the dead were qatari(the firefighters) and the ambassador and his wife are the ones leaving, the other qatari and expats are showing up. So it’s discrimination based on status (whiich is still horrible) not race. In the uk you don’t need status to get away with murder, you just have to kill a brown person and say you only meant to hurt the terrorist not kill and you get out scot free
None of the dead were Qatari, which is probably part of the reason the saga drags on and on
https://dohanews.co/a-full-list-of-the-victims-killed-in-mondays-villaggio/
“In the uk you don’t need status to get away with murder, you just have to kill a brown person and say you only meant to hurt the terrorist not kill and you get out scot free ”
If you think this is true I would suggest you didn’t read much or engage with the local population whilst in the UK. Here is a White British killer getting 30 years minimum for killing an Indian student in a high profile UK murder case, I can give you many more such links.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/life-sentence-for-psycho-murderer-kiaran-stapleton-7981448.html
Also here is exactly the same sentence of 4.5 years, for a “brown person” (your words) punching a white british person to death. Exactly the same situation as what happened to the Qatari kid. So how is the system based on race?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/lewis-gill-andrew-youngs-killer-3507395
Or you could ask many of the black and Asian British community which lives in Doha (such as my wife was) which country the find less racism in. I’m pretty sure I can guess the answer.
So is the UK institutionalised racism only against Arabs? Or maybe you should read stuff outside of the Qatari media/twitter which really is one sided and biased, to give yourself a more balanced view.
hoping this comment goes through as doha news has been blocking me all day
case drags on because 1) the guilty parties are not a threat to anyone (there not going around burning buildings) 2) the death was caused by neglagince not assault and no intent to kill/harm anyone just an atempt to cut corners for which the contractors are equally to blame as the owners
case involved a weapon not the same rather extreme example
difference is the victim wasnt targeted due to there race so not a case of “hate crime”
i do know people who are from india, answer would surprise you
no, although i admit in the uk its less institutional racism and more racism from the public as an everyday thing. the issue with your laws is that there very tolerant towards racial violence and treatment of assaults as normal everyday thing (which in the uk im sure it is an everyday occurrence). also i dont read qatari/arabic media (accept for laughs as it as hilarious) my favourite sources are bbc/gaurdian and a few american papers.
those who deny the holocaust are just unethical and should go back to school to study history….normally they are people who are not from Europe and they were not told by their grandparents the stories we grew up with, even as non-Jews.
I agree the British can be as racist and the rest, but it’s got nothing on the Gulf states, which effectively operate a legalized caste system.
The difference being that there are racists and non racists in the UK, in the GCC there are racists and non racists, but the system supports and tacitly condones the racism.
Deleting several comments from this thread. Please stay on topic, and refrain from personal attacks and the use of offensive language.
Your advice should go to everyone … wait a sec you’re from the UK. It makes perfect sense now. Professional journalism, Google it.
You don’t seem to love it here at DN, maybe it’s time to leave it
I will, after the last Qatar government/people/culture hater leaves back to his Utopian country that couldn’t offer him a decent job to feed his family.
keep waiting then…
They will, once you can do their work
Troll. Google that.
Oink Oink
definitely, you have got some issues!
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-27888810
Saudi media claims the victim to be a Saudi student. What a coincidence.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-11477062
WOW Saudi kills Saudi in UK. What a coincidence.
Your point being? The killer will be treated exactly the same in the UK whether they are British, American, A member of the Government, or indeed another Saudi
It is good that someone is finally reminding the tweeters about how the system works – they show quite concerning ignorance. I guess that I had just assumed that twitterati would have learned their lesson on newspaper independence during the Danish cartoons episode. I guess not.
Two points of fact everybody needs to bear in mind:
1 the UK govt would love to be able to control the press in the way some of you believe it does … It does not
2 the UK cannot be awarded the 2022 World Cup as it is reserved for a non-European nation
Yep. The UK’s bid lost out to Russia, not Qatar (something people seem to forget). The US was the runner up to Qatar for 2022, and most Americans couldn’t care less who hosts the world cup (although plenty of American papers are bemoaning the labor conditions of workers in the Gulf).
There has been however, press coverage in Australia becuase they have more of a right to be angry. But because nobody has picked up on it they are not ‘racist’. At FIFA’s general meeting last week, many of the members were calling for Blatters head, mostly due to 2022. These were members from other countries should they be called racists too?
“Media with
opinions different than government”..Seems hard to digest in this part of world.
I know it is hard to believe for people in the Middle East that you can have an independent media but in some countries it does happen. (Doesn’t mean that some of the stuff they print is still trash though)
If the Qatari activists want to achieve something rather than saying racist very loud, (which will back fire on them when anyone looks at Qatar’s employment policies and treatment of Asians) they should petition the government to take legal action against the Sunday Times for printing lies and demand as part of the settlement that a retraction be printed in said newspaper.
Go on, pursue legal action, show the world it is all lies.
Arrrggggggggghhhhhhh, yet more comments randomly disappearing!
Of course Britiain has issues with racism, but the huge number of people that are desperate to start a new life in the UK and the huge number of people from the Middle East that live in Central London (and not just the ‘mega rich’) proves that it is very minority of people that hold those racist views. What I do know is that it is illegal in the UK to have different terms ans conditions for people doing the same job based on their nationality. Would anyone like to explain why this practice is allowed in Qatar and whether this should be considered as being ‘racist’?
Amazing to read, how an article can initiate so much hate comments.
It’s even more amazing how winning the right to host the world cup initiated so much hate in British papers.
My sweet lady, you need to control your anger. If you do not like the British papers, then do not read them. The same reason I do not read yours. Anyway, I leave it up to you have the last word as you seem to have a frustrating evening.
I watched the BBC news tonight, not a peep about Qatar either good or bad. Nobody is bothered if you host the world cup, only that you won it without cheating, and to be honest the focus is more on FIFA’s corruption than Qatar.
LOL I don’t know why people here are worked up by what these news agencies and the little haters with nothing better to do than hate on others have to say. Their opinions don’t mean khara. Qatar has a PR that will handle the negative PR were getting from these lowlifes.
We know of our own amazing society. We know we have great leaders who work hard to make it better for all those who live here. Qatar will improve what it needs to improve when it comes to workers building our country, but not to shut the haters up, but because people here actually care about them and respect them, and for God. (Please if anyone is going to respond, don’t turn it into a religious debate)
The haters need to understand that like everywhere else in the world, there is a good side and an ugly side, so let’s not bother each other with nonsense. Qatar will host an amazing world cup. Qatar’s bid was the best amongst it’s competitors. Hater’s gon’ hate. And bishes gon bish. And Im out.
*everyone applauds, and screams and whistles because of my amazing comeback to the haters*
*everyone crys too*
To be fair though, Qatar’s PR has been quite absent on most issues and hasn’t done much in the way of representing Qatar’s side of the various issues that have arisen since Qatar decided to make itself more visible on the world stage. Is it because of inertia, arrogance, incompetence or a lack of leadership? I couldn’t say, but the PR folks seem to have been asleep at the wheel for the last 2-3 years.
Couldn’t agree more with Ivan – PR has not worked properly since these rumors/facts/allegations came up. And the statements you can read now in the press are, with all my due respect, everything but really meaningful. I do hope though that it will get better, sooner or later … It has to …
If everything was done in a fair and ethical way why do everyone fear and talk too much on it? There is an investigation going on and they are expected to submit a report soon. If it is fair, then end of all corruption scandals. Looking on another perspective, with negative allegations publicity is earned faster. Once the publicity spreads to lots of new markets, just imagine when the negativity is turned to be positive and fair. So what has been earned????…….BRAND NAME on a good standing.
Regardless of how the bid was won, I dont think Qatar will have 2022 taken from them. I also believe evertyhing here will be ready it time as well. However, from a football fans point of view, once 2022 is over, you wont get many, if any saying that the next two tournaments (Russia, Qatar) were better than the last few (Brazil, South Africa, Germany, Japan/Korea etc).
I’ve recently read articles saying that Brazil will be the last WC help in a democracy. Argument goes that people have turned against it so much – the cost, the lack of future benefit, surrendering so much sovereignty to FIFA, etc, that only autocratic governments will be able to push it through in the future. Interesting arguement.
I was talking more about the visiting fans. However, I agree that Brazil have their priorities all wrong. It will get worse when the Olympics come around.
In terms of visitors, I have a number of friends there right now who are having a fantastic time, as they did 4 years ago in South Africa, the time before that in Germany (where I was as well) etc. Cant see there being as much fun to be had next two tournaments!
There is a lot of fun to be had in Russia, I spent five years living there
We need to take down FIFA and that is starting to happen. The protests have moved from FIFA directly to their major sponsors. This hits them where it hursts and none of those major companies want FIFAs damaged reputation affecting their business
I can’t see this being the case. The Olympics have come through similar problems which lead to the wholesale reform of the IOC. There was some opposition to the London games, especially in these times of ‘austerity’, but the majority of people supported the games and the common consensus is that they were a great to Britain. I think that FIFA will have to reform, and when it does, countries will continue to fight to stage the event. Personally I don’t see why the World Cup 2022 should be any less successful than others. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is considered to be one of the ‘must see events’ and they started from nothing.
I’ll just point to the only real major event Qatar has hosted to date – the Asian games of 2006 ( the least attended ever) for a reason as to why 2022 will be less successful than others. With the construction standards in Qatar, I highly doubt everything will be ready for 2022 in the first place.
There is no comparison. Given the pace of change in Qatar, condensing about 150 years of development into 15, I see no reason why the intended infrastructure will not be ready. Money talks and Qatar has a loud voice. Lessons are always learned best from making mistakes, and I believe there are many lessons learned in the construction process here. One hopes that it will also contribute to Qatar’s confidence in moving into a free, equal and regulated labour market
If you think they have learned from the fiasco that was Asian Games 2006 from 8 years ago, then I point to you the HIA. How many years was that delayed? Construction standards are completely different in Qatar and from my experience, the laid-back attitude in meeting deadlines haven’t changed from 30 years at the very least. Throwing money at it is not going to solve the problems either. One set of consultants pick up the cash and move on when they have squeezed as much as they can for the next set to resume the process. Trust me, there hasn’t been 150 years of development in the past 15 years either. Development is slow and that is how they like it.
Yes, it will be interesting to see if FIFA can reform itself the way the IOC has – so far I see little movement that way. Then I don’t care about football and don’t follow such things, it was just an interesting article I read recently.
There is absolutely no chance on the face of the earth that they will take the World Cup hosting rights away.
Britain’s free press is something to be celebrated. It means we have the BBC.
For me, the best broadcaster in the world bar none. Worth asking Al Jazeera who they model themselves on (or take correspondents from).
Only a fool duels with a fool. What a thread!!!!
It’s still entertaining to watch.
I honestly lost it in between, as it also went off topic … some people seem to have to use such platforms to vent off …
Entertaining but concerning at the same time, kinda like watching someone trip over…
If you mean a person literally tripping over, I don’t think I find that funny. But a person “tripping over”, yeah I agree 100% .
I literally cannot believe the comments I am reading. This is disgusting. Grow up. The British press are separate from the government and in no way reflect or represent them or the people of Britain.
I am a British Citizen and I want the world cup in Qatar. If you visit my family in the UK they do not discuss Qatar being awarded the World Cup in a negative or racist manner – in fact, they are fascinated by it, by the amazing promises Qatar has made, by the sheer amount of money they are spending on developing the nation to host it, and by the amazing architecture. So please, before you start bashing the average citizen, realise that in the UK, we are brought up and educated to interpret the media’s publishings in a logical way and actually have our own opinions. We are not told what to think, or how to think it.
Stop being so petty, if you don’t want to holiday in Britain, then don’t – its simple. But good luck finding another country that hasn’t reported on allegations of corruption. But the difference is – everyone knows that almost all countries have tried to bribe FIFA in some form or another (I mean England alone took the PM, David Beckham and the future King) – and can you blame them. It is FIFA that is corrupt – it’s well known. However, nobody in England or anywhere else for that matter even cares about this – its just not that big of a deal to us. Believe me we have bigger problems – Russia and Ukraine being one of the many.
How can you say the media are reporting out of jealousy…we did not even bid for 2022. So to suggest that its some plot or agenda just makes you look stupid. They just want a story. We couldn’t care less about hosting it – its not really a big a deal to us as it is to developing countries like Qatar. Simply because we don’t need to add anything (well not too many things), we already have the infrastructure in place. We just hosted the olympics and to say we were crazy and excited to host that is an overstatement – it was just one of those things.
And to the idiots who have brought up the UK laws and who they are applicable to (not really sure how this is even brought up in the first place) – that is literally the most stupid thing I have ever read. Everybody in the UK is subject to the law, no matter what their race, nationality, social status, gender, religious beliefs or sexual orientation, etc. If the PrimeMinister went out and committed some sort of crime, he would be held just as accountable as if a blue martian (not saying the Alien is any less important of course :p) committed the same crime on British soil.
Don’t get me wrong – we are far from perfect. I myself would avoid a gang of yobs walking down the street and definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable going out late at night by myself – but then again I wouldn’t feel safe doing that ANYWHERE in the world. Not even in Qatar.
This whole world cup thing is just getting old now. The media are reporting on it simply because they want a story. Just ignore it – if Qatar is innocent there isn’t anything to worry about. Just know most of us Brits are behind you Qatar (meaning we support you!!) – so do what all us Brits do to these newspapers and stick your middle finger/ or both fingers up at them and tell them to do one.
Go Qatar, GO!! Expect Amazing!
Boycott? A few less people in the queue at Heathrow – Is that about it?