World Cup has political demonstrations, but Qatar maintains control of the World Cup

The World Cup in Qatar was marked by political demonstrations. The LGBTQIA+ rainbow was present in the stadiums, defying prison and death sentences. The flag of Palestine became the great political symbol of the World Cup. Iranian women’s rights came to the fore, showing the world what it’s like to live under an ultra-conservative government.

But all this with the narrative controlled by the regime of Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the eighth of the Thani dynasty, surname at the head of the territory since 1851, when Qatar was not even a state.

The country’s first major demonstration of strength took place days before the start of the World Cup. The Delivery and Legacy Committee, which organizes the championship, has banned the sale of alcoholic beverages in and around stadiums.

Financially, the main affected was the sponsor Budweiser, which paid more than R$ 405 million for the right to sell beer at the event.

The decision also caused an uproar among fans, many caught by surprise as they landed in the Persian Gulf nation. It also raised tensions between Fifa and the host country, despite released statements saying the directive was made public after “discussions” between FIFA and Qatari authorities.

Since before the start of the World Cup, however, the country’s harsh legislation also raised doubts about how tourists would be received at the championship. The case of the Mexican Paola Schietekat caused a stir in the international community.

She went to local authorities to report a case of rape and ended up sentenced to seven years in prison, in addition to 100 lashes, for sex outside marriage, highlighting the vulnerability of women in the country.

She was working on the organizing committee of the World Cup in the country when the crime happened. The alternative given to the Mexican to get rid of the sentence was to marry the aggressor. Shortly after the attack, she managed to leave the Gulf nation.

“After this process, I realized that despite my academic degrees, professional preparation, financial independence and despite working for the government of Qatar, I am vulnerable to human rights violations by archaic and abusive institutions,” wrote Schietekat in a post on social media. social.

Since the country was announced as the host of the World Cup, human rights activists, including feminists, encouraged a boycott of the event. The case was one of those that raised questions about the treatment that would be given to women while they were passing through Qatar.

But with the arrival of the championship, the regime decided to relax several restrictions. Unmarried couples had no problem booking joint rooms in hotels, as well as tourists, especially women, were able to wear clothing that did not correspond to the guidelines to avoid showing shoulders and covering knees. Many said they felt safe in the country.

When it came to stadiums, what was allowed depended on the message — at least at the beginning. Palestinian flags were released, but those seeking to support women protesting for their rights in Iran faced resistance from arena security.

The Qatari government supports Palestine as a sovereign and independent state and has no diplomatic relations with Israel. On the other hand, the host country has close political ties with the government of Iran.

It was necessary for FIFA to make a statement indicating that banners supporting the protests in the country would be allowed in the arenas.

The document said that the entity was aware that permitted items were not being authorized in the stadiums, but that it received assurance from the local authorities that the agreed guidelines were fulfilled. The statement also referred to items with the LGBTQIA+ rainbow.

Demonstrations in relation to community rights were also a priority target of the Qatari regime. The rainbow, regardless of whether or not it was related to the cause, became a point of tension for the government.

Fans were repressed for walking the streets of cities part of the World Cup with items that did not necessarily defend the community. The same happened in stadiums. Fans of different nationalities were barred or had their entry into the arenas made difficult for carrying objects that contained the rainbow.

Being homosexual in the country is a crime punishable by imprisonment or death. Qatari law is based on sharia, traditional Islamic law.

Professor Reginaldo Nasser, a professor of international relations at PUC-SP (Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo) and a specialist in the Middle East, sees political manifestations as specific characters in the World Cup, which would have facilitated the regime’s control.

In addition, he points out that Qatar, as a political figure, is influential and this may have contributed to necessary agreements with FIFA.

“Qatar is a powerful country, it has an economic and political elite that has a very strong presence in the western world. It’s in sport, with Paris Saint-Germain, from France, for example, which now has its players in the final. Messi on one side and MBappe on the other. And his power goes beyond that, like the issue of oil and now gas”, he says, referring to the players of the French team that belongs to Qatar Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the sovereign fund of the State of Gulf.