Qatar World Cup: The good and the bad

Morocco’s stirring run to the semifinal, along with improved shows by other African and Asian nations, was the biggest takeaway of this WC. Credit: AFP Photo

There were, it seemed, more controversies that the Qatar World Cup attracted - before and during it - than the number of goals scored in the desert tournament.

From allegations of corruption in winning the hosting rights to the death of thousands of migrant workers during the construction of stadiums, supporting infrastructure in inhumane working conditions, and from alleged human rights abuse to suppression of even peaceful protests, this World Cup has had more than its share of off-field drama that threatened to rob the tournament of on-field enthrallment.

Fortunately, and notwithstanding minor protestations, football dominated the discourse once the event kicked off.

Also Read | World Cup needs risk-takers, says Klinsmann

In an effort to undermine the sustained campaign against Qatar, FIFA president Gianni Infantino even came up with one of the most explosive statements in the history of sport.

“I think for what we Europeans have been doing for 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons to people,” Infantino said in response to Western criticism of the Arab nation’s poor record of upholding human rights while holding a mirror to the part of the world he comes from.

This piece, however, is not an attempt to whitewash Qatar’s conduct, which is far from acceptable. While Western bias was evident in the criticism of Qatar, to assume that all of it was motivated would be less than ingenuous.

Well aware of its financial might, the tiny country brazenly ignored its moral and legal obligations towards poor migrant workers and walked back on its promises to be less stringent with activities (for example, alcohol consumption, which is a part of the culture of the football World Cup) illegal in this Islamic nation.

More on that later. But, with the final still to be played between Argentina and France, there are quite a few positive aspects to admire about this World Cup. Of course, there was never a doubt about Qatar, awash with oil cash, delivering an impeccable event in terms of infrastructure, facilities and logistics.

Also Read | World Cup of firsts ends with clash of titans

While it lived up to this expectation, having spent an insane $220 billion for the smooth conduct of the biggest sporting spectacle, the on-field action glossed over all the pre-tournament controversies.

The rise of Asian and African teams in a sport traditionally dominated by Europeans and South Americans has to be the biggest takeaway of the tournament.

As football powerhouses Germany, Spain, Uruguay, Brazil, Belgium and Portugal were dumped at various stages of the tournament by the so-called minnows, it signalled the emergence of a new order, at least based on the immediate evidence.

Saudi Arabia’s shock win over Argentina, Iran’s conquest of Wales, Tunisia’s upset of France -- who were without their rested first-choice players --, Japan’s win over Spain and South Korea’s defeat of Portugal showed that the gulf between teams is narrowing.

Morocco’s stirring run to the semifinal, where they fell to France but not without a fight, is perhaps the most inspiring story of this World Cup. An African country of Arab populace, it brought together two communities that lit up the tournament.

This transformation should help silence critics of the share of quota places for Asian and African teams in the World Cup. When only Japan made it to the last-16 stage and none from Africa in the previous edition in Russia, questions were raised about the number of qualification slots for these two continents, suggesting that those numbers could be slashed and awarded to Europe and South America which had more talented sides but missed out on a place in the finals because of restrictions on the number of qualifying spots.

In Pics | Most memorable moments so far from FIFA World Cup

With as many as five teams in the pre-quarterfinals from Asia and Africa this edition, that debate has been settled emphatically, for now.

Coming back to Infantino. His flip-flops and willingness to accommodate Qatar’s demands, even if it meant going back on their word given at the time of winning the hosting rights, smacked of double standards - whether it is the ban on the sale of beer or preventing players from political messaging.

Sport is no stranger to political activism despite organisers’ best efforts to discourage, even arm-twist, athletes from flagging rights’ issues. Tommie Smith and John Carlos famously raised their fist at the 1968 Olympics in support of the civil rights movement in the US.

Four years later in Munich, American sprinters George Matthews and Wayne Collett staged a protest on the podium against racial discrimination. Not too long ago, American footballer Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the US national anthem, protesting police brutality and racial inequality in 2016.

Later, footballers and cricketers took the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in the aftermath of the murder of US black citizen George Floyd in 2020.

The ban on sale of beer at the stadiums after promising to allow it was a minor inconvenience for the travelling fans, but FIFA restraining players and teams from symbolic protests against Qatar’s disregard for human rights was a little high-handed. Some countries even accused FIFA of “extreme blackmail.”

While the sport’s governing body ignored the demands of rights’ groups to compel Qatar into paying compensation for the exploited migrants, it remained a mute spectator to clampdowns on protests against Qatar’s friendly neighbour Iran, where women have been fighting for their rights.

Staying with its unstated policy, FIFA also maintained a studied silence on Qatari authorities allowing protests against Israel over the Palestine issue.

The tournament has been a success on a few fronts and Qatar managed to leverage that to enhance its global standing. Can we say the same about FIFA, though?