Behind the raucous fans, the penalty kicks and upsets on the pitch, a rat lurks in the palace.
Supporters cheer before the World Cup round 16 match between the Netherlands and the United States in Qatar on Dec. 3. Soccer fans’ sartorial style isn’t the only thing that has sparked controversy.Full of tradition, pageantry and wonder, the World Cup spellbinds the globe every four years. It represents what all sports should be — a sanctuary from our woes and troubles, both personal and political.
We are witnessing that dynamic in these games. The problem arose before the tournament started, with the selection of Qatar as the host country. Qatar, a country with a population of less than 3 million, boasts an impact on the global stage that belies its size. Selected as the host in 2010, Qatar built infrastructure for the tournament at the expense of its migrant workers, with an estimated 400 to 500 dying in work-related deaths, according to a Qatar official.
“It was a bad choice,” said Sepp Blatter, whose term as FIFA administrator ended in 2015 amid a bribery scandal. “And I was responsible for that as president at the time.” As the games started, the banning of beer sales seemed to be the biggest controversy — a flap that seems quaint now. It was soon overshadowed by human rights abuses in Qatar and Iran. More than 300 Iranians have been killed in protests that began after the death of a Kurdish woman on Sept. 16, detained for allegedly violating Islamic Republic dress codes.
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