Clearly I’m no journalist. Barely a writer. And certainly not qualified to comment on the many controversies surrounding this Qatar World Cup. But the blog wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t at least b-log my observations. So…..
I’ll start at the end. My over riding observation: how did Qatar become so outrageously wealthy and influential just because it happens to sit over a puddle of oil and gas? I first visited Qatar in 2009 at the height of the financial crisis. I remember the talking heads asking where all the money had gone. I remember raising my hand as I looked across Doha bay at the forest of cranes building what is now Qatar’s skyline. “Me. Me. Me! I know. I know where the money is”. How have we enabled places like Qatar and Russia and Saudi Arabia and and and….to become so rich and influential because of our thirst for energy? I’m not smart enough to offer an answer. But for me, that’s the question and any issues flow from that.
The World Cup was a shell game, distracting from what’s really going. The immigrants didn’t build stadiums. They created an entire city designed to compete with Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia as the regional power. As an achievement it’s awe inspiring. As an illustration of the forces that really orchestrate the world, well, the speed and scale of their achievement is worrisome, scary, confusing and several other emotions.
So, to the issues that did feature in the headlines
Was FIFA corrupt in awarding the World Cup to Qatar? Yes. But I think of the very many other projects in the country. Massive construction contracts; oil and gas development projects; French military jet supply (France’s vote in the actual vote to award Qatar the Cup is said to have swung on that one). Can’t defend it. But the Qatar World Cup is one unusually high profile example of how the world really works. In my opinion it’s a missed opportunity to put the spotlight on this bigger issue rather than just on the briefcases of cash changing hands at FIFA.
I ate breakfast in a tiny neighborhood Bangladeshi cafe most mornings. Happy friendly people. The Ugandan Uber driver and the uber-happy Ghanaian Metro guides spoke of the opportunity to send money back to their families. Chats with middle class immigrants from Sri Lanka and India who’ve lived in Qatar for 10 years, have witnessed the growth and spoke of the normality of their lives and the wickedness of a few contractors who flout the construction safety codes. Yes: this was the face presented to us by Qatar. And I do wish I’d looked more closely at the numerous walled compounds we saw out in the desert on our tourist trip. But based on my interactions, the immigrants were happy, grateful for the opportunity to work, and considered their life in Qatar an upgrade to the places they left behind.
I’m not qualified to have an opinion on the treatment of the LGBQT community. I do wonder about the alleged detention of people in rainbow colors entering stadiums. So many brightly dressed people I don’t know how the security people would be able to pick them out. I certainly didn’t witness any incidents. And I took a double take the first few times I saw Arab men walking down the street hand in hand. Not something I’d be comfortable doing with Dave but a normal show of brotherly affection here.
I’m even less qualified to talk about women’s rights. But I saw no restrictions whatsoever on women visiting the Cup. And the expatriate women we interacted with who lived in Qatar spoke of how normal their lives were. Out of curiosity I researched reproductive rights in the country and found them more liberal than than many parts of the USA. The Saudi’s confused me. Women in full burka but totally at ease and happy in their family groups. My conclusion: I’m willing to accept there are some things that, culturally, I just don’t, can’t understand.
Modest. A word widely used in the Qatari guidebook. We are a modest society. Public displays of affection, regardless of gender, and scantily clad outfits are frowned upon. I kind of get that. And the old fashioned part of me actually kind of likes it – although I also get why others would see that as an infringement of civil liberties.
Writing this 6 months later after time to reflect, I decided Qatar was ok. Has it’s problems like everywhere. But, even allowing for the fact we saw it through the World Cup bubble, I think those problems were overstated. I wonder if there will be the same critical examination of the USA in ‘26 with our divisions on gun violence; race and women’s rights. I’ll end where I started: how did Qatar become so outrageously wealthy and influential just because it happens to sit over a huge puddle of oil and gas? For me; that was a missed conversation.
What! Scotland Qualified!!! 