Qatar World Cup Encounters Issues with Discriminatory Laws

The 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar, already has preparations underway, with no small cost: the list of controversies surrounding the event grows longer every day. There have been over 1000 migrant worker (some call them working under “slave conditions”) deaths in the building of the World Cup arenas thus far, alcohol has been permitted against Sharia law, and there are allegations of corruption and bribery since the FIFA decision to hold the Cup in Qatar.

The latest controversy regards LGBT people, who are flogged and imprisoned within Qatar’s laws. FIFA president Sepp Blater is quoted as initially saying “I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities;” and later added, “we [FIFA] don’t want any discrimination. What we want to do is open this game to everybody, and to open it to all cultures, and this is what we are doing in 2022.”

There have been reports that medical testing would be done to “detect” LGBT people entering the country, causing Peter Tatchell to call for a boycott of the games in Qatar.

Steps have been taken to ease Qatar’s laws during the World Cup, such as new creative, relaxed alcohol laws allowing the sale and consumption of beer at the games. When asked by Associated Press about LGBT people, the country’s sports minister, Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali said, “It’s exactly like the alcohol question.

“[Qatar does not want to create] this impression, illusion that we don’t care about our tradition and our ethical values … We are studying all these issues.

“We can adapt, we can be creative to have people coming and enjoying the games without losing the essence of our culture and respecting the preference of the people coming here. I think there is a lot we can do.

“I think we can be creative, finding solutions for all of this. But we respect all the rules and regulations.”