Qatar - if we really believe in everything we claim to, shouldn't we all agree we're not watching this?

[Anthndav]

Sportswashing it's called. 

[31Dec1966]

8 hours ago, BowOwl said:

Simply put it's the teams responsibility, not the fans.

E.G England - We've heard speech upon speech upon protest, about different issues from the players & manager (and TV) about how our fans should act/respect. 

Yet here is the perfect chance to put those meaningless empty gestures where it counts, and refuse to take their earned place in a competition held in a country that goes against everything England claim to support.

So far not a peep, and no TV company has once put them on the spot about it.
All it takes is a single question from a reporter to Southgate -
"Currently you all make a statement before every game about racism, let alone other statements about inclusive women's football & equal pay. Why are you taking part and supporting an event hosted by a country that clearly supports racism, homophobia, slavery and sexism?"

 

Until they practice what they preach, I can't support England at this event or any other.
Hypocrites living in their own world and have no care about pride of playing for their country and fans.

Post of the year! Absolutely spot on.  The question is superbly constructed and brings home the truth of those  meaningless gestures and soundbites. They have a chance to actually do something instead of  saying look at me, how caring I am. Talk is cheap, action speaks louder than words.

[scram]

So if you don't protest about everything then protest about nothing?

[latemodelchild]

3 hours ago, scram said:

So if you don't protest about everything then protest about nothing?

I think I see what you're saying here, but I'm not sure it fits. We see protests and shows of solidarity at every game. To then take a place at a world Cup in a country where the things we are supporting and showing solidarity for are illegal does seem to smack of double standards a bit. Qatar is a country that pretty much goes against everything we strive to be. Tolerant, inclusive and equal. A world Cup there is an attempt to sportswash a regime that is an absolute affront to human decency. 

 

We should be doing all the things we are doing and more to promote equality. 

[MSN SYSOP]

13 hours ago, ANDY said:

But if each country had the gonads to not send their teams there’d be just Qatar playing their second team. 

Bingo..sadly it won't happen lots of brown envelopes under table allegedly 

[scram]

We've literally got Saudi and Middle Eastern owned clubs in our league

 

Should other players boycott signing for them? Playing against them?

[Orlando_Trustful]

I'll watch it and I am planning to stop in Doha for a few days on the way back home for Christmas in December.

 

The world is fooooked. It always has been and it always will be. We're just thankfully some of the luckier ones. 

[latemodelchild]

7 hours ago, scram said:

We've literally got Saudi and Middle Eastern owned clubs in our league

 

Should other players boycott signing for them? Playing against them?

Good point well made. 

[Bannofan]

I think as Taz says, the absence of it this summer will ramp up the absurdity of it another notch.

 

I have no intention of watching it, and I think I will stick to this due to when it's taking place; I'll just not be in the 'tournament ' frame of mind. I'll certainly not be booking any days off to watch a three game marathon. 

 

It won't have the feel or vibe of a proper WC either, and I imagine the broadcasting will be less celebratory and more perfunctory. 

 

Finally,  I can't fathom the mindset of any fan that actually wants to go there and 'enjoy' it, knowing how it has been awarded to them, the human cost and the bigoted laws of that country. 

 

I appreciate no regime is squeaky clean, no tournament or country pure as fresh snow, but this is on another level. Fans will probably use the excuse of ' We are just not hypocrites'  , but morally there has never been a tournament as disgraceful as this. 

 

 

[matthefish2002]

8 minutes ago, Bannofan said:

 

 

I appreciate no regime is squeaky clean, no tournament or country pure as fresh snow, but this is on another level. Fans will probably use the excuse of ' We are just not hypocrites'  , but morally there has never been a tournament as disgraceful as this. 

 

 

 

Think the Qatar World Cup is about on the same level as the 1936 Munich Olympics.

[OxonOwl]

18 minutes ago, matthefish2002 said:

1936 Munich Berlin Olympics

 

[matthefish2002]

2 minutes ago, OxonOwl said:

 

 

Thank you!!! 

I was watching the excellent documentary 'One Day In September' a few days ago about the 1972 Munich Olympics and seems to have stuck in my brain.

[daveyboy66]

14 hours ago, 31Dec1966 said:

brings home the truth of those  meaningless gestures and soundbites.

If taking the knee by white players supporting their black team mates who are regularly discriminated against and abused on social media is meaningless then what other way can they support them ? 

 

[MF TAZ]

55 minutes ago, Bannofan said:

I think as Taz says, the absence of it this summer will ramp up the absurdity of it another notch.

 

I have no intention of watching it, and I think I will stick to this due to when it's taking place; I'll just not be in the 'tournament ' frame of mind. I'll certainly not be booking any days off to watch a three game marathon. 

 

It won't have the feel or vibe of a proper WC either, and I imagine the broadcasting will be less celebratory and more perfunctory. 

 

Finally,  I can't fathom the mindset of any fan that actually wants to go there and 'enjoy' it, knowing how it has been awarded to them, the human cost and the bigoted laws of that country. 

 

I appreciate no regime is squeaky clean, no tournament or country pure as fresh snow, but this is on another level. Fans will probably use the excuse of ' We are just not hypocrites'  , but morally there has never been a tournament as disgraceful as this. 

 

 

the problem is people who think dubai is a great place for a holiday will go 

 

lot of citeh and man u fans who became fans at 30 in 2009 if you catch my drift 

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

41 minutes ago, daveyboy66 said:

If taking the knee by white players supporting their black team mates who are regularly discriminated against and abused on social media is meaningless then what other way can they support them ? 

 

Why don't we do it anymore?

[MF TAZ]

1 minute ago, Roscoe P. Coltrane said:

Why don't we do it anymore?

u wot 

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

Just now, MF TAZ said:

u wot 

Sheffield Wednesday don't take the knee...

[MF TAZ]

3 minutes ago, Roscoe P. Coltrane said:

Sheffield Wednesday don't take the knee...

you have clearly thought about all this too much

 

 

[alanharper]

Apparently the tournament would have started today, had it not been moved to November. So if it'd been given to a proper host I'd now have been off work in the sun for the next 3 weeks for the group stages and early knockout rounds, drinking beer and watching football in my pants. It won't be the same in November, and I also have loads of unused annual leave for this year that I could've used, but November will be from the next leave year and will leave me short for next summer.

 

Eff off Qatar, also FIFA. 

[Bannofan]

No Panini sticker book either this year for me, that's going to be tough.

 

Thought about taking the little 'un to some women's Euros games, but not sure if I can cope with that.

 

There's still time for individual players to ' retire ' from International football, even if teams are committed to going.

 

Always had this bizarre thought that Kane will break the goal scoring record over the summer and warm up friendlies, then say he's not going to Qatar as he wants to spend time with his family and concentrate on his club career. 

 

Genuinely think some players will see this tournament like the fans are seeing it..a bizarre circus and not really a genuine World Cup. There has to be temptation to sack it off if you have played in a WC before. Even the winners will feel it has a caveat attached to it.

 

 A number of Wales fans celebrating them getting to the World Cup have also said that they probably won't go, as opposed to definitely going if it was in South/North America, Europe, Australia & NZ.