A look at the fans of the host of the 2022 World Cup in the opening game this Sunday night (15), in Qatar, reveals an already expected profile of the fans: they are mostly men. But the women, although fewer in number, also showed up to cheer.
The country, with an Islamic majority and an autocratic regime, is known for having restrictive rules and laws regarding women. Their history of violating human rights when it comes to women or other minorities, such as the LGBTQIA+ population, raised doubts as to whether the event would actually take place in the Arab country when it was announced in 2010.
2022 arrived, and the first match between Qatar and Ecuador took place at the Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor. The game took place after the opening ceremony, which tried to sweep human rights issues under the rug with diversity and inclusion speech.
During the match, a small number of Qatari fans made constant celebrations in the stands. Among these, women practically did not appear. It was an organized group of a few hundred people beating drums while chanting in Arabic. They wore a burgundy Qatari T-shirt and had endless breath.
A few meters away, the overwhelming majority were still men, but the costumes were traditional Islamic. The companies, however, varied between female and male. Women, many of them wearing hijabs, this time made up the cheering crowd in a more expressive way.
The restrained behavior in the gestures was not reflected in the screams. Although they did not sing the chants of the organized crowd, they carried their flags and responded to stimuli on the field.
The presence of women at games challenges one of the main criticisms of the Qatari regime, which is seen as restrictive of women’s rights and behavior.
In the country, with an Islamic majority, dress codes indicate that women wear clothes that do not show their shoulders and do not wear anything above the knees.
The residents remain under the custody of the men in their families – usually fathers, brothers, uncles and grandfathers – and need their authorization to study abroad with government grants, get married and receive some reproductive treatments, according to Amnesty Interaction.
For experts, Qatar is known to be an Islamic country as less prohibitive to women than other nations.
The restrictions, however, also extend to foreigners. If an unmarried woman becomes pregnant, even in transit, she can be arrested or deported. A pregnant woman who is not married and gives birth in the country can also face the same consequences.
Another issue that was a point of tension for the regime is its punitive policy towards homosexuals. Recent statements by leaders have intensified the country’s need to signal to the international community that the country would be willing to receive the LGBTQIA+ group during the World Cup.
The Qatari regime considers being gay a crime punishable by death, but in September, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said gay fans from around the world were welcome “without discrimination” to the country in a bid to appease activist fears.
Months later, however, former Qatar national team player and World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman called homosexuality “mental damage”. He added that being gay is a “haram”, a forbidden sin in Islam.
Unlike women, there were no demonstrations that made clear the presence of community members, local or international, in the games.
Since the announcement of the World Cup in Qatar, in 2010, feminist and LGBTQIA+ activists have called for a boycott of the event due to the constant violations that the regime promotes.
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
