Pyrian on 20/11/2022 at 06:26
I think that, if a ton of people don't watch it, that would go a long way to making similar decisions not happen again.
SD on 20/11/2022 at 07:14
It's hard to take much of the criticism seriously when it's coming from the same people who have spent 20 some years telling us how Qatar state media is so much less tainted than our own.
Even now these people push Al Jazeera propaganda that suits their preceonceived biases (*cough* Israel *cough*) while talking out of the other side of their mouth when it comes to the World Cup.
Minded to observe that this is what happens when people in the West fail to defend liberal values.
If you really care about petrostate horror, stop driving your car. Yeah, I didn't think so.
Tomi on 20/11/2022 at 21:57
Can't argue with what you said earlier, June, but then again SD does have a point too. Where do you draw the line? The previous World Cup in 2018 was held in Russia, and one of the hosts for the World Cup 2026 will be USA with all those backwards laws. I might as well stop watching football altogether. Qatar of course takes it all to the next level when it comes to the infrastructure and pointless waste of money and human lives; they're building air-conditioned stadiums in the middle of the desert that will have no use after the tournament ends. But still, we all support at least indirectly a lot of dodgy organizations and things in our daily lives, even if we like to value our principles (whatever they are).
Quote Posted by Pyrian
I think that, if a ton of people don't watch it, that would go a long way to making similar decisions not happen again.
I ended up NOT watching the first match today. Maybe it was a little "protest", but the main reason was that I just wasn't in the mood for it. Apparently it was a pretty bad game and I didn't miss much, but I'm pleased that Qatar got a good trashing. Feeling a bit sorry for their players though! Anyway, I think that it's fairly irrelevant whether we actually watch the games or not - I believe that it's much more important to make some noise and raise awareness of the human rights issues around the tournament.
SD on 21/11/2022 at 01:06
If only it was possible to partake in society without driving a car. Oh wait, it is. Some of us manage it just fine.
Tomi on 21/11/2022 at 15:51
Disappointed to see the English players back off with their rainbow armband protest in their first match. FIFA had made it clear that any player who violates their stupid "kit regulations" faces sporting sanctions, but it would have been so great to see the whole team wear rainbow armbands. Can't really blame the players I suppose, but I feel that this was a huge missed opportunity. FIFA wouldn't have had the balls to caution every player, and even if they had, it would have looked so bad for FIFA and Qatar that it totally would have been worth it. Great respect for the Iranian players though for refusing to sing their national anthem - they'll surely be in trouble when they get back home. Didn't watch the match again, but I was too busy anyway.
Azaran on 21/11/2022 at 16:15
Quote Posted by Tomi
On top of that the country respects no human rights, and this is all just like a sick joke to make the wallets of the corrupt FIFA officials fatter. They've ruined the World Cup for me and I'm not a happy bunny.
Not to mention,(
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/10/opinion/qatar-saudi-arabia-extremism.html) openly funding and propagating religious fascism throughout the world.
But they have oil, so it's all good
SD on 22/11/2022 at 12:17
Quote Posted by Tomi
Disappointed to see the English players back off with their rainbow armband protest in their first match. FIFA had made it clear that any player who violates their stupid "kit regulations" faces sporting sanctions, but it would have been so great to see the whole team wear rainbow armbands. Can't really blame the players I suppose, but I feel that this was a huge missed opportunity. FIFA wouldn't have had the balls to caution every player, and even if they had, it would have looked so bad for FIFA and Qatar that it totally would have been worth it. Great respect for the Iranian players though for refusing to sing their national anthem - they'll surely be in trouble when they get back home. Didn't watch the match again, but I was too busy anyway.
The FAs (not just the English FA, but all the other associations who were planning the armband stunt) were told that players could be expelled from the tournament if they went ahead. Not sure what good that would do anyone.
Also, just to add: Argentina :laff:
Nicker on 22/11/2022 at 14:02
Meanwhile, David Beckham is getting a beefy $15 mullion USD for each year of a ten year contract to play World Cup Ambassador.
Not sure how that fits into this thread. Perhaps it's just a secondary infection.
[video]https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/david-beckham-qatar-world-cup-28525203[/video]
Just kidding. It's the disease.
SD on 23/11/2022 at 11:50
Not sure giving all that money to a Jewish person makes up for decades of antisemitism, but it's a start.
