Qatar 2022

[YankeeFan]

We're going to blame the desperate workers, instead of the wealth nation exploiting them? Really?

About 1,200 died in the Bangladesh clothing factory collapse. They're talking about 4,000 in Qatar.

I assume you own no clothes made in a third-world country, that you do business with no companies outsourcing work to third-world countries, that, in effect, you've gone ahead and pulled that log out of your own eye before pointing out the speck in Qatar's.

It's telling that you're more interested in pointing the finger at Qatar than you are at pointing the finger at the crippling poverty to which we all contribute and from which we all benefit.

LOL.

4,000 die so we can have a soccer tournament in a desert nation, ruled by a billionaire family.

I think I'm pretty comfortable saying this is wrong, irrespective of anything else going on in the world.

 

[deskslave]

We're going to blame the desperate workers, instead of the wealth nation exploiting them? Really?

About 1,200 died in the Bangladesh clothing factory collapse. They're talking about 4,000 in Qatar.

I assume you own no clothes made in a third-world country, that you do business with no companies outsourcing work to third-world countries, that, in effect, you've gone ahead and pulled that log out of your own eye before pointing out the speck in Qatar's.

It's telling that you're more interested in pointing the finger at Qatar than you are at pointing the finger at the crippling poverty to which we all contribute and from which we all benefit.

LOL.

4,000 die so we can have a soccer tournament in a desert nation, ruled by a billionaire family.

I think I'm pretty comfortable saying this is wrong, irrespective of anything else going on in the world.

You are, once again, arguing against a point that no one is making. There's pretty much not a soccer fan in the world who doesn't think it was a bad idea to give Qatar the World Cup.

I'm just not sure why you keep belaboring the point. I'm just not sure what you want anyone to say. Yes, it's terrible. But what does my saying that accomplish? What am I supposed to do, never watch a soccer match again?

I mean, I get what you're doing, and I shouldn't be stupid enough to rise to your bait. But here we are.

 

[Mark2010]

Bottom line: the whole thing was a stupid idea by a small number of very greedy people.

 

[Greenhorn]

Bottom line: the whole thing was a stupid idea by a small number of very greedy people.

We are not allowed to discuss the government shutdown here.

 

[YankeeFan]

You are, once again, arguing against a point that no one is making. There's pretty much not a soccer fan in the world who doesn't think it was a bad idea to give Qatar the World Cup.

I'm just not sure why you keep belaboring the point. I'm just not sure what you want anyone to say. Yes, it's terrible. But what does my saying that accomplish? What am I supposed to do, never watch a soccer match again?

Yes, folks are saying it's a "bad idea" to play the World Cup in Qatar because it will be uncomfortably for the players and fans, and/or because the proposed change in schedule will be problematic for European leagues and for television partners.

That's all true, and they are fine reasons not to hold the World Cup in Qatar.

But, they pale in comparison to the human right issues.

It's not a "bad decision" it's a deadly decision.

4,000 people will die to build these stadiums.

And, while FIFA might be a tone deaf, autocratic organization that listens only to money, they are not immune to pressure.

Individual nations, soccer federations, sponsors, and broadcast partners need to tell FIFA that this is unacceptable. Qatar 2022 needs to be called off, and ssigned to another country, and it needs to happen fast.

 

[Mark2010]

Bottom line: the whole thing was a stupid idea by a small number of very greedy people.

We are not allowed to discuss the government shutdown here.

I was referring to FIFA. But, yes, the shoe does fit.

 

[YankeeFan]

http://www.vox.com/2014/5/25/5750034/qatar-hands-out-fliers-with-national-dress-code-for-foreigners

 

[Shoeless Joe]

Maybe this will end up the way it did when the Taliban ran Afghanistan ... with players being arrested on the field for dressing immodestly.

 

[Steak Snabler]

They're talking about women.

 

[spikechiquet]

http://www.vox.com/2014/5/25/5750034/qatar-hands-out-fliers-with-national-dress-code-for-foreigners

When we start seeing the "Hotties of the 2014 World Cup" web pages...Qatar is screwed.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

Let's see ... they don't eat bacon, they don't drink beer, they think women should wear more clothes and not less .... mmmmmm, yeah.

 

[Mark2010]

Different culture. If you go in thinking you're going to westernize people who live a certain way, you're in for disappointment.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

Not interested in changing Qatar, just calling out the people who took the bribes to award that country the WC.

 

[Mark2010]

They'll get what's coming to them.

 

[DeskMonkey1]

Whoever thought this was a good idea is insane. Might as well hold the Winter Olympics in Costa Rica.

At this rate, they may have to. Reportedly down to four offers and only two are feasible.

 

[Mark2010]

My guess is Norway will get its bid together as a viable candidate. Winter sports have always been a big deal there and their last Games were very successful.

The IOC is going to have to get a grip on reality and either settle for a little less extravagance or go back to some previous sites with existing facilities. One of the main reasons the Sochi Games were so expensive was that virtually everything had to be built from scratch. When you build something new, of course, it provides the chance to build the fanciest things ever.... at a price. But there's no reason Salt Lake City, Torino, Vancouver or any of the past 10 host cities couldn't do it again with many of the same facilities.

Of course, as long as the IOC can find suckers willing to shell out billions, well, more power to them. But it seems that era may be drawing to an end.

And, yes, the same is true for the World Cup, too. How many of the stadiums in Brazil are new and how many have already been in use?

 

[Shoeless Joe]

How many countries/co-hosts could pull off a WC without actually having to do much in terms of stadia and infrastructure?
Let's see:
USA
England
Germany
Spain
France
Italy
Holland/Belgium

There are probably a few others that could do it with a little bit of lead time and a few dollars spent, but that list - I believe - could host tomorrow with little more effort than lining the fields and selling the tickets.

Brazil is in the conversation of biggest soccer country in the world, but it has shown that outside of a couple of cities/stadiums, it's a white elephant for the country. The same would have to be said for Argentina and Mexico. Australia could probably host with available stadiums and infrastructure, but that's just a guess.

 

[RubberSoul1979]

Workers are dying -- by the hundreds -- as Qatar builds stadiums in anticipation of the 2022 World Cup.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/01/qatar-world-cup-workers-deaths-migrant

 

[Mark2010]

Yeah, Joe, I agree. Most of the European countries where there are regular leagues that draw large crowds could host with little additional expense.

I understand the notion of wanting to make a political statement: WC in South Africa and Qatar, Olympics in China and Brazil, etc. But at some point that has to be tempered with reality and the cost of staging the event at the level to which the big shots have become accustomed in the more developed countries.

 

[poindexter]

Yeah, Joe, I agree. Most of the European countries where there are regular leagues that draw large crowds could host with little additional expense.

I understand the notion of wanting to make a political statement: WC in South Africa and Qatar, Olympics in China and Brazil, etc. But at some point that has to be tempered with reality and the cost of staging the event at the level to which the big shots have become accustomed in the more developed countries.

What is the political statement of holding the WC in Qatar?