How the hell did Qatar win the right to host the World Cup?

[Doc Lynam]

Dozens of Nepalese migrant labourers have died in Qatar in recent weeks and thousands more are enduring appalling labour abuses, a Guardian investigation has found, raising serious questions about Qatar's preparations to host the 2022 World Cup.

This summer, Nepalese workers died at a rate of almost one a day in Qatar, many of them young men who had sudden heart attacks. The investigation found evidence to suggest that thousands of Nepalese, who make up the single largest group of labourers in Qatar, face exploitation and abuses that amount to modern-day slavery, as defined by the International Labour Organisation, during a building binge paving the way for 2022.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/revealed-qatars-world-cup-slaves

 

[shaolinpunk]

Q: How did Qatar win the right to host the World Cup?

A:

 

[BensGrandad]

Money?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Read and shared the iPad version of that story this morning. It is obviously a disgrace and quite extraordinary in the modern world.

However the answer to the thread title's question is that if the South Pole ever ended up with a despotic government prepared to bribe their way to everything, combined with a rampant economy then FIFA would put the World Cup there too.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

 

[Doc Lynam]

Interesting piece here as well, didn't realise old Blatter voted for the USA!

Blatter, who voted for the US to host the 2022 tournament but has since become an advocate of moving it to winter, said in an interview this week that there was "definitely direct political influence" on European executive committee members to vote for Qatar.

"European leaders recommended to its voting members to opt for Qatar, because of major economic interests in the country," he told the German weekly Die Zeit.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/20/michel-platini-politics-qatar-2022-world-cup

 

[Jimmy's gonna get ya!]

The people at the top of a greedy multi-national corporation, sought to line their own pockets in crooked deals with a stupidly wealthy country, with little or no consideration to the impact or implications, or even for the good of it's product. Standard.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Chances are there were some kind of back handers, but there are plenty of reasons why it SHOULD host the World Cup - including the fact the Middle East never has before, and Qatar easily has the money and infrastructure to make it a bloody good one.

In my opinion the only place in the World more deserving of a World Cup is Australia.

I think your views maybe in a minority to be honest, point one human rights abuses! Pretty much stops there for me.

 

[Albumen]

They won the conte$t fair and $quare

 

[Doc Lynam]

I agree it is absolutely shocking - but go to the UAE or any of those rich oil nations and you will see the same thing in all of their construction projects.

If anything, the global public awareness that their hosting it is creating will help bring their workers' rights up to 21st century standards, hopefully.

I do understand what you are saying but the legacy for these sort of events are always stunning in how little actually changes for the local population. I think it would have been just as strong a message to say you can't enter until you comply with globally recognised Human Rights.

 

[LargeHadronZugzwang]

Modern day slavery is unacceptable. This Country is also responsible for arming Jihadists. The main reason that it was given the World Cup is because it has enormous quantities of natural gas. The new great game is being played out as well as football.

 

[MissGull]

It's the same in Brazil getting ready for their Sporting events over the next few years. So many of the poorest people are being evicted from their homes and made homeless as they are just bulldozing through entire neighbourhoods and without any consultation and consent. It's pretty brutal.

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

I agree it is absolutely shocking - but go to the UAE or any of those rich oil nations and you will see the same thing in all of their construction projects.

If anything, the global public awareness that their hosting it is creating will help bring their workers' rights up to 21st century standards, hopefully.

I am of the same sort of thinking. Had they not got the World Cup either no one would have reported this or it would have been tucked away somewhere in the middle of the paper

Also, no matter where in the world got the tournament this sort of thing would have been found or some other scandal. As a nation I feel we thrive off this sort of reporting as it further adds to the fact we feel it was unfair we didn't get it

 

[User removed 4]

I think your views maybe in a minority to be honest, point one human rights abuses! Pretty much stops there for me.

You no doubt had the same problem with South Africa in 2010 , and have the same reservations about Brazil next year and Russia in 2018 ??

 

[pork pie]

Dozens of Nepalese migrant labourers have died in Qatar in recent weeks and thousands more are enduring appalling labour abuses, a Guardian investigation has found, raising serious questions about Qatar's preparations to host the 2022 World Cup.

This summer, Nepalese workers died at a rate of almost one a day in Qatar, many of them young men who had sudden heart attacks. The investigation found evidence to suggest that thousands of Nepalese, who make up the single largest group of labourers in Qatar, face exploitation and abuses that amount to modern-day slavery, as defined by the International Labour Organisation, during a building binge paving the way for 2022.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/revealed-qatars-world-cup-slaves

Why read such a left-wing rag? Nothing worse than in their own country, and they get paid in Doha.

 

[Doc Lynam]

You no doubt had the same problem with South Africa in 2010 , and have the same reservations about Brazil next year and Russia in 2018 ??

South Africa yes but after the Rugby world cup i was expecting less exploitation and more parity. Brazil yes but the will of the people is slowly and finally starting to come together to fight the huge social disparity within the country. Russia no it maybe a lot of things but exploitation of labour and poor to such a degree shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Why read such a left-wing rag? Nothing worse than in their own country, and they get paid in Doha.

Excellent point well made.

 

[supaseagull]

Chances are there were some kind of back handers, but there are plenty of reasons why it SHOULD host the World Cup - including the fact the Middle East never has before, and Qatar easily has the money and infrastructure to make it a bloody good one.

In my opinion the only place in the World more deserving of a World Cup is Australia.

You got two parts of that statement correct...Yes they have the money and yes Australia should have got it.

However, how on earth can you say it has the infrastructure to hold a World Cup?...the fact that it has to employ foreign workers and treat them as slave labourers is proof that they don't have the infrastructure.

What is going to happen to these lovely stadiums? You've only got to look at South Africa as an example...

The stadiums around the country are never used and the cost of the build for each one still has not been paid...In fact, they are looking for some of them to be demolished. It will be the same in Qatar.

Also, I'm surprised you mention the fact that the middle east has never held the world cup before...Whilst you are right, you are being too generalised with this comment...You cannot compare Qatar, a hugely oil rich nation with Egypt, Morocco, or even Iran as like Bahrain, it lives in a bubble.

I cannot think of any WORSE places to hold a world cup...At least with is being held in Russia, it is opening up football and new stadia to a country of millions who can build a heritage of the game. Having it in Qatar is never going to set a legacy of soccer in the Middle East and also won't also encourage millions of young Arabic players to take up playing football!

 

[kingcole]

Pretty much how Dubai has been built.

 

[brakespear]

Q: How did Qatar win the right to host the World Cup?

A:

This, I thought we'd settled this last time.