Author Topic: Qatar's True WC Legacy: news and reports on the human cost of sportswashing. (Read 395766 times)

thejbs · « **Reply #6480 on:** January 27, 2023, 01:33:45 pm »

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/27/soffe-family-reveal-six-year-battle-with-qatar-over-daughter-elizabeth-severe-injuries?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Irish family reveal six-year legal battle in Qatar over daughter’s severe injuries
Birmingham-based Soffe family still fighting for compensation after fire in Gulf state left Elizabeth with life-threatening burns

kellan · « **Reply #6481 on:** January 30, 2023, 10:43:03 am »

The Athletic/Ornstein is reporting that Visit Saudi (the country's tourist board) are sponsoring this year's women's World Cup. It's such a mind blowing mismatch that it's actually funny, in a way that's not remotely funny at all.

https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1619973690891931650
https://theathletic.com/4135097/2023/01/30/ornstein-porro-spurs-chelsea-world-cup-fernandez

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #6482 on:** January 30, 2023, 10:48:27 am »

Quote from: kellan on January 30, 2023, 10:43:03 am

The Athletic/Ornstein is reporting that Visit Saudi (the country's tourist board) are sponsoring this year's women's World Cup. It's such a mind blowing mismatch that it's actually funny, in a way that's not remotely funny at all.

https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1619973690891931650
https://theathletic.com/4135097/2023/01/30/ornstein-porro-spurs-chelsea-world-cup-fernandez

Football selling it's soul entirely, sadly I'm not surprised from the moment they allowed Qatar to host the World Cup it was only a matter of time before the Saudi's too would be "rewarded." It's just beyond sick, but the decisions sums up those who lead the game.

redgriffin73 · « **Reply #6483 on:** January 30, 2023, 04:27:13 pm »

Quote from: kellan on January 30, 2023, 10:43:03 am

The Athletic/Ornstein is reporting that Visit Saudi (the country's tourist board) are sponsoring this year's women's World Cup. It's such a mind blowing mismatch that it's actually funny, in a way that's not remotely funny at all.

https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1619973690891931650
https://theathletic.com/4135097/2023/01/30/ornstein-porro-spurs-chelsea-world-cup-fernandez

Keep seeing a Visit Saudi advert on TV, they're certainly going for it in terms of brainwashing over here.

Wonder if any of the women players will speak out, there were some openly not happy at the men's WC being held there weren't there.

kellan · « **Reply #6484 on:** January 30, 2023, 05:47:16 pm »

Quote from: redgriffin73 on January 30, 2023, 04:27:13 pm

Keep seeing a Visit Saudi advert on TV, they're certainly going for it in terms of brainwashing over here.

Wonder if any of the women players will speak out, there were some openly not happy at the men's WC being held there weren't there.

I expect some will have a thing or two to say about it. How many will probably depend on how prominent the sponsorship is, and on how much they're told to keep their mouths shut/concentrate on their preparation and performances. It will have been easier to speak out about Qatar because they weren't personally doing a job there. This time they will be at the tournament in question.

The sponsorship hasn't actually been announced yet, so maybe the response after it is announced will give us a first glimpse at opinion in the room. I'll be surprised if FA's are briefing their players on what and what not to say as early as the moment at which the sponsorship goes officially public, so there could well be some unfiltered tweets. If not the sort that deep dive the issue here, then at least the snarky sort questioning why any woman would possibly want to visit Saudi Arabia.

Crosby Nick · « **Reply #6485 on:** January 30, 2023, 06:00:28 pm »

Quote from: redgriffin73 on January 30, 2023, 04:27:13 pm

Keep seeing a Visit Saudi advert on TV, they're certainly going for it in terms of brainwashing over here.

Wonder if any of the women players will speak out, there were some openly not happy at the men's WC being held there weren't there.

Qatar, you mean?

redgriffin73 · « **Reply #6486 on:** January 30, 2023, 07:34:09 pm »

Quote from: Crosby Nick on January 30, 2023, 06:00:28 pm

Qatar, you mean?

Oh yeah, replied quickly at work and got my sportswashing nations confused.

Tobelius · « **Reply #6487 on:** January 30, 2023, 07:50:54 pm »

Quote from: redgriffin73 on January 30, 2023, 04:27:13 pm

Keep seeing a Visit Saudi advert on TV, they're certainly going for it in terms of brainwashing over here.

Wonder if any of the women players will speak out, there were some openly not happy at the men's WC being held there weren't there.

Everything goes now,we live in an upside down bizarro world.

PIF was deemed fit and proper for example even after the PIF chairman had allegedly sent a 15 man hit squad (including 7 of his bodyguards) to a foreign country to kill and dismember a journalist.

oojason · « **Reply #6488 on:** January 31, 2023, 01:18:14 pm »

'Saudi Arabia to sponsor Women’s World Cup and tighten ties with Fifa':-

Tourist authority joins international brands on list
World Cup starts on 20 July at Eden Park, Auckland

www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/31/womens-world-cup-football-sponsored-visit-saudi-arabia

a snippet...

'Saudi Arabia’s tourist authority is to sponsor football’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year, despite the country’s history of oppression of women’s rights.

Fifa is expected to confirm that Visit Saudi will join international brands such as Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa in attaching its name to the 32-team tournament that will kick off in front of an expected 50,000 supporters at Auckland’s Eden Park on 20 July.

The deal has been agreed under Fifa’s new “commercial partnership structure” dedicated to developing revenues specifically for the women’s game, with funds generated from the World Cup going back into the sport. There will be some scepticism over the suitability of the arrangement, owing to repression of women’s freedoms in the Gulf state.'

KlurgenJopp · « **Reply #6489 on:** January 31, 2023, 02:13:17 pm »

Saw Messi on a Visit Saudi advert last night. Is there anyone these already mega rich won't take money from?

[new username under construction] · « **Reply #6490 on:** January 31, 2023, 02:23:45 pm »

Quote from: KlurgenJopp on January 31, 2023, 02:13:17 pm

Saw Messi on a Visit Saudi advert last night. Is there anyone these already mega rich won't take money from?

By the way, what was wrong with his face? looked like he'd hit the Botox

KlurgenJopp · « **Reply #6491 on:** January 31, 2023, 02:35:08 pm »

Quote from: [new username under construction] on January 31, 2023, 02:23:45 pm

By the way, what was wrong with his face? looked like he'd hit the Botox

Saudi blood boys do wonders for your skin.

kellan · « **Reply #6492 on:** February 1, 2023, 10:26:35 am »

The FA's of Australia and New Zealand have written to FIFA over the Saudi sponsorship - neither were even consulted.

https://theathletic.com/4145636/2023/02/01/women-world-cup-australia-new-zealand/

24/7 · « **Reply #6493 on:** February 1, 2023, 03:35:17 pm »

Next year's Women's WC to be sponsored by Vist Saudi? Really? That's just openly taking the fucking puss

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64484441

BlackandWhitePaul · « **Reply #6494 on:** February 1, 2023, 05:21:15 pm »

Quote from: 24/7 on February 1, 2023, 03:35:17 pm

Next year's Women's WC to be sponsored by Vist Saudi? Really? That's just openly taking the fucking puss

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64484441

Football is dead to me, all of it, I can't fucking stand what it is now.

Red-Soldier · « **Reply #6495 on:** February 1, 2023, 05:26:51 pm »

Quote from: 24/7 on February 1, 2023, 03:35:17 pm

Next year's Women's WC to be sponsored by Vist Saudi? Really? That's just openly taking the fucking puss

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64484441

Anyone who spends anything on football now, is an absolute mug.

Black Bull Nova · « **Reply #6496 on:** February 8, 2023, 05:02:28 pm »

£212bn and I bet you've forgotten it already

Black Bull Nova · « **Reply #6497 on:** February 8, 2023, 05:03:30 pm »

Quote from: BlackandWhitePaul on February 1, 2023, 05:21:15 pm

Football is dead to me, all of it, I can't fucking stand what it is now.

Come and be an LFC fan, whilst it lasts. Refugees always need somewhere to go.

In the Name of Klopp · « **Reply #6498 on:** February 8, 2023, 05:32:20 pm »

Quote from: 24/7 on February 1, 2023, 03:35:17 pm

Next year's Women's WC to be sponsored by Vist Saudi? Really? That's just openly taking the fucking puss

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64484441

A good thread by Ali Walker. If they succussed the '30 WC is theirs

https://mobile.twitter.com/AliWalker24/status/1623278636915646465

Quote

The secret Saudi plan to buy the World Cup
Crown Prince MBS privately promised to pay for all Greece’s infrastructure, in exchange for Athens signing up to the joint 2030 bid.

Saudi Arabia offered to pay for new sports stadiums in Greece and Egypt if they agreed to team up with the oil-rich Gulf heavyweight in a joint bid to host the 2030 football World Cup, POLITICO can reveal.

In exchange, the Saudis would get to stage three-quarters of all the matches, under the proposed deal....

Read more
https://www.politico.eu/article/qatar-fifa-world-cup-the-secret-saudi-plan-to-buy-the-cup/

24/7 · « **Reply #6499 on:** February 9, 2023, 01:02:07 pm »

This Saudi thing definitely isn't going away.......

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64579257

Alex Morgan speaks out and makes some excellent points. US Soccer is far from impressed too.

Mister Flip Flop · « **Reply #6500 on:** February 9, 2023, 01:10:35 pm »

Quote from: BlackandWhitePaul on February 1, 2023, 05:21:15 pm

Football is dead to me, all of it, I can't fucking stand what it is now.

Unfortunately pal you are one of the good ones who puts his moral compass before love of your club or the sport. I was convinced the day the Russian gangster bought Chelsea football would be dead on it's knees within a generation and here we are a short what 15 years later and the game is already destroyed. It's horrible what they've done.

BlackandWhitePaul · « **Reply #6501 on:** February 9, 2023, 01:41:48 pm »

Quote from: 24/7 on February 9, 2023, 01:02:07 pm

This Saudi thing definitely isn't going away.......

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64579257

Alex Morgan speaks out and makes some excellent points. US Soccer is far from impressed too.

Absolutely disgusting, It is getting worse by the day.

The FA, Premier League, UEFA, FIFA and all the rest of them are corrupt greedy c*nts who don't give a toss about football nor football supporters.

oojason · « **Reply #6502 on:** February 28, 2023, 05:26:15 pm »

'The Best Fifa Awards: a pantomime in Paris staged by the Imperial star fleet':-

Fifa’s glittering ceremony at the Salle Pleyel was one more step in its relentless quest for power under the emperor Infantino

www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/28/the-best-fifa-awards-a-pantomime-in-paris-staged-by-the-imperial-star-fleet

a snippet - including the sycophant Jermaine Jenas (whose agent's ability far outweighs his own)...

'An hour or so – or it may have been two hours or 12 hours or seven minutes – into the brain-clogging fug of sound and light and sullen football legend applause (a thing about football legends: they don’t really like clapping other people) that was the The Best Fifa Awards 2022, Jermaine Jenas made a mistake.

You had to watch carefully to catch it. And it should be said Jenas did pretty well overall in his role as co-host, alongside the agreeably brusque Samantha Johnson. True, Jenas did insist on calling Gianni Infantino “Mr President” and “President Infantino”, coming on like a lovelorn Marilyn Monroe in a chiffon gown under aggressively paranoid surveillance by the CIA. But he was genial and slick and essentially always the same substance, an unwavering stream of homogenised Jenas, the TV presenting equivalent of supermarket brioche.

His one mistake was to refer to the final of Qatar 2022 as “one of the best”, and to do so with Mr President standing next to him. Almost indiscernibly, the air inside the hall turned chill beneath the hard white lights. “The Best final ever of the Best World Cup ever,” Gianni corrected, not angry, just saddened and disappointed and, yes, inconsolably furious in ways, Jermaine, that I will never fully tell you about.

Shortly after the point was reinforced by a live rendition of the official anthem – and there will, sadly, be unofficial ones out there – of the The Best Awards 2022, including the lyrics, “We’re the best yeah yeah we’re the best yeah yeah” over uplifting major chord sequences, like an advert for razor blades featuring handsome, flinty, men playing volleyball on a trampoline.'

oojason · « **Reply #6503 on:** February 28, 2023, 05:32:05 pm »

'Qatar government silent over state investigation into World Cup migrant worker death' (20th February):-

The Qatar government remains silent over a state investigation into the death of a Filipino migrant worker during the 2022 World Cup.

https://theathletic.com/4231764/2023/02/20/qatar-government-world-cup-worker-death

^ or read the article in full, here - https://archive.is/lKX0E

redgriffin73 · « **Reply #6504 on:** March 1, 2023, 04:03:38 pm »

Quote from: oojason on February 28, 2023, 05:26:15 pm

His one mistake was to refer to the final of Qatar 2022 as “one of the best”, and to do so with Mr President standing next to him. Almost indiscernibly, the air inside the hall turned chill beneath the hard white lights. “The Best final ever of the Best World Cup ever,” Gianni corrected, not angry, just saddened and disappointed and, yes, inconsolably furious in ways, Jermaine, that I will never fully tell you about.

Shortly after the point was reinforced by a live rendition of the official anthem – and there will, sadly, be unofficial ones out there – of the The Best Awards 2022, including the lyrics, “We’re the best yeah yeah we’re the best yeah yeah” over uplifting major chord sequences, like an advert for razor blades featuring handsome, flinty, men playing volleyball on a trampoline.'

The sad, sad bastards at FIFA.

oojason · « **Reply #6505 on:** March 13, 2023, 07:03:42 pm »

'More than a million demand Fifa justice for Qatar World Cup migrant workers':-

Governing body handed letter by Amnesty and Avaaz
Thousands of workers suffered human rights abuses

www.theguardian.com/football/2023/mar/13/more-than-a-million-demand-fifa-justice-for-qatar-world-cup-migrant-workers

a snippet...

'More than a million people have signed a letter calling for Fifa to finally compensate migrants who suffered appalling human rights abuses while working on the World Cup in Qatar. The letter, which was handed to football’s governing body by the human rights groups Amnesty and Avaaz, also urges it to “stop looking the other way” as its congress meets in Rwanda this week.

In December, Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, announced his organisation had made more than $7bn from the 2022 World Cup cycle, but the human rights groups are frustrated that details remain sketchy over whether Fifa’s proposed “legacy fund” will compensate workers who suffered wage theft, illegal recruitment fees and injuries in Qatar and compensate the families of those who died.'

www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/03/fifa-receives-open-letter-backed-by-a-million-signatures-demanding-justice-for-abused-world-cup-workers

JRed · « **Reply #6506 on:** March 13, 2023, 07:23:28 pm »

Quote from: kellan on January 30, 2023, 10:43:03 am

The Athletic/Ornstein is reporting that Visit Saudi (the country's tourist board) are sponsoring this year's women's World Cup. It's such a mind blowing mismatch that it's actually funny, in a way that's not remotely funny at all.

https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1619973690891931650
https://theathletic.com/4135097/2023/01/30/ornstein-porro-spurs-chelsea-world-cup-fernandez

It’s like Bernard Matthews sponsoring the Turkey’s Lives Matter movement.

oojason · « **Reply #6507 on:** March 13, 2023, 07:36:12 pm »

From Tariq Panja:-

'Interesting story out of Switzerland today. Qatar wiretapped Federal Prosecutor and Fifa President Infantino' - https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/1634838797190852609

'Qatar bugged secret meeting between Swiss Attorney General Lauber and FIFA President Infantino':-

An intelligence operation commissioned by Qatar targeted an informal meeting between Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Operatives on behalf of Qatar were already planning to recruit the Attorney General for their cause at the end of 2011.

www.nzz.ch/english/qatar-wiretapped-federal-prosecutor-and-fifa-president-infantino-ld.1730044

a snippet...

'It was a secret meeting that former Attorney General Michael Lauber says he no longer remembers - and that ultimately cost him his job: On 16 June 2017, Lauber met with the FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern for an informal exchange, while he was, at the same time, conducting a range of cases against FIFA officials. No minutes of the meeting exist and Infantino also said he did not remember it. The meeting was so unusual that two special prosecutors are still investigating Lauber and Infantino in the matter.

The meeting was held in a building that has been owned by the State of Qatar since 2009. The secret session took place in Conference Room No. 3, just a few metres away from the Qatari Embassy, which was in the same corridor of the hotel.

A months-long investigation by NZZ am Sonntag reveals that the covert meeting was secretly recorded by intelligence operatives on behalf of Qatar. The gulf state nation was at the time worried that they would lose the hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022 due to corruption allegations and human rights violations. It therefore launched an international espionage and influence operation over several years, with the help of ex-CIA agents. FIFA officials were spied upon, and the Swiss Attorney General was likewise of particular interest for Qatar. This was because Lauber’s office was also responsible for investigations regarding irregularities in the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar.'

oojason · « **Reply #6508 on:** March 13, 2023, 07:39:12 pm »

'In World Cup Run-Up, Qatar Pressed U.N. Agency Not to Investigate Abuses':-

Lobbying at the International Labor Organization dovetailed with an influence campaign that set off a corruption scandal at the European Parliament.

www.nytimes.com/2023/03/11/world/europe/qatar-world-cup-ilo-labor.html?

^ article in full here - https://archive.is/OgmLz

In the Name of Klopp · « **Reply #6509 on:** March 14, 2023, 06:48:57 pm »

I've been a good boy · « **Reply #6510 on:** March 14, 2023, 06:54:35 pm »

Four countries hosting a single World Cup. These bids are getting ridiculous.

afc tukrish · « **Reply #6511 on:** March 14, 2023, 07:44:52 pm »

Quote from: I've been a good boy on March 14, 2023, 06:54:35 pm

Four countries hosting a single World Cup. These bids are getting ridiculous.

I'd love to go to an Argentina/Chile/Uruguay/Paraguay World Cup, though...

oojason · « **Reply #6512 on:** March 16, 2023, 01:34:27 pm »

'Gianni Infantino compares FIFA presidency campaign to Rwandan genocide recovery':-

Gianni Infantino has compared his campaign to win the FIFA presidency in 2016 to Rwanda’s recovery from the 1994 genocide that saw ethnic violence kill more than half a million Rwandans.

https://theathletic.com/4315791/2023/03/16/infantino-rwanda-genocide-fifa

^ article in full here - https://archive.is/e7biD

'Gianni Infantino is re-elected as FIFA president for the third time - having run UNOPPOSED once again - and is set to remain in charge of football's governing body until 2027':-

Gianni Infantino has served as president of FIFA since his first election in 2016
He won by acclaim rather than a formal vote after having no election opponent
FIFA approve plans for the Club World Cup to be expanded to 32 teams in 2025

^ (Apologies for linking to the Daily Fail / Heil; they seem to be the main source for related articles on this)

'Gianni Infantino: Fifa president says 'way more' football is needed after re-election':-

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64975011

redgriffin73 · « **Reply #6513 on:** March 16, 2023, 01:37:09 pm »

Today I am feeling Rwandan.

What an absolute arsehole this man is.

Zlen · « **Reply #6514 on:** March 16, 2023, 02:58:42 pm »

I miss Blatter.

Tobelius · « **Reply #6515 on:** March 16, 2023, 03:06:05 pm »

Quote from: Zlen on March 16, 2023, 02:58:42 pm

I miss Blatter.

Unbelievable but so do i.

In the Name of Klopp · « **Reply #6516 on:** March 16, 2023, 04:46:35 pm »

Making way for United ownership I see.

Thread: https://mobile.twitter.com/NcGeehan/status/1636287247698784256

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #6517 on:** March 16, 2023, 05:06:44 pm »

Quote from: In the Name of Klopp on March 16, 2023, 04:46:35 pm

Making way for United ownership I see.

Thread: https://mobile.twitter.com/NcGeehan/status/1636287247698784256

That whole interview both by Čeferin and Neville is pitiful. God help the game.

Hazell · « **Reply #6518 on:** March 16, 2023, 05:12:22 pm »

Why is Ceferin being interviewed by Neville, rather than say, someone with more than a couple of brain cells? Or is that a dumb question?

BoRed · « **Reply #6519 on:** March 16, 2023, 05:22:34 pm »

Quote from: Hazell on March 16, 2023, 05:12:22 pm

Why is Ceferin being interviewed by Neville, rather than say, someone with more than a couple of brain cells? Or is that a dumb question?

Why is Ceferin being interviewed by Neville rather than the police?