November through December, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World
Cup is being held in Umm Al Afaei, west of central Doha, Qatar. With the corruption and
discrimination of women present in the country, the ban on homosexuality and deaths of the
migrant workers due to the construction of the stadiums, the location gives FIFA a poor
reputation, as monetary gain was prioritized over human rights.
In 2010, FIFA officials convened to make the decision as to where the 2022 FIFA World Cup
would be located. Qatar is a conservative country where women are oppressed, homosexuality
is criminalized, and Islam is the only accepted religion, according to humandignitytrust.org.
According to NPR, Qatar outbid South Korea, the United States, Japan, and Australia, but this
decision was flagged by allegations, bribery and corruption. Political deals likely swayed FIFA
officials into choosing Qatar as the location, especially because of international gas crises. The
selection for the location should not be held by way of bidding or in an auction-like style, so as
to prevent bribery and covert operations. NPR stated that as a result of said corruption, 12
officials have recently been banned from the organization regarding accusations of corruption,
which led to the ultimate decision regarding location. Corruption has long been present in the
FIFA organization, but now that the information has leaked publicly, the organization’s reputation
is tainted.
With the human rights crisis going on in Qatar, a cultural event of such significance as the FIFA
World Cup should not have been held there. According to hrw.org, women are oppressed by
their husbands, and openly affectionate homosexual actions are publicly criticized in Qatar, per
CNN. With recent developments in equality and inclusivity across Europe and the United States,
holding the World Cup in Qatar is a step backward in progressive movements, encouraging an
environment of prejudice and discrimination.
Officials of the FIFA organization should have recognized that due to Qatar’s lack of
infrastructure, migrant workers would be hired for the construction of the stadiums. FIFA must
take responsibility, according to The Guardian, for the 6,500 migrant workers who have died in
Qatar since 2010 when the country won the bid to host the World Cup. Although these deaths
are not directly stated to have been related to the construction work, Qatar has hired thousands
of workers, mainly from South Asia, to build the facilities for the World Cup. The majority of
migrant deaths in Qatar were working to construct stadiums, hotels, and improve transportation
method, per The Guardian.
Many argue that since all previous locations of the FIFA World Cup have been subject to
some form of corruption, Qatar’s hosting is justified, according to haaretz.com. However,
because bribery and human rights allegations against Qatar have been made public with the
banning of 12 FIFA officials, Qatar and FIFA are facing extra criticism.
The FIFA officials must prioritize safety and the treatment of humans and minority groups
when selecting the location for the World Cup, taking into consideration the political, cultural,
and socially acceptable norms. With corruption, allegations, and bribery, both women and
homosexuals facing discrimination, and the 6,500 migrant workers who likely died due to the
harsh construction of stadiums, hotels, and transportation methods, the FIFA reputation has
been forever tainted.
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