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Boycott Qatar

Bristol City said:
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Morning all!

Had an interesting chat with some mates last night about a potential fan led boycott of Qatar 2022. Writing this really just to gauge people’s opinions and to see if there would ever be sufficient support for it to be a realistic option.

The horrific human right abuses of workers getting the stadiums ready in time for the tournament are well documented and in many cases amounted to modern day slavery. Many lost their lives.

Could we collectively say enough is enough and ask the question to what depths is society willing to sink in order to promote the game we all love? These questions won’t be asked loudly at the top with so much money involved. What a huge statement it would make if broadcasters and sponsors were boycotted during the games. Something that could potentially trigger similar movements in areas other than football where corruption and human right abuses are rife.

I’d imagine for most, not watching England in a major tournament is unthinkable. Would an option be for one match to be boycotted? Something everyone could get on board with to send a strong message. Or at the very least show the families of those who died building the stadiums that there are people on the other side of the world who give a shit.

Like I said this isn’t a call to arms. Just a way of gaging opinion. If it is generally positive there’s no reason other forums can’t be contacted to see if something meaningful can be put together. With OTIB leading the way!

Have a good football less weekend. We all needed a break!

Rhinestone Wurzel
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cant wait to get some winter sun and $25 a pints..
 

Definitely will not be watching, and really think all true football fans should do the same. Would be nice if a boycott of the sponsors could be organised internationally, coca cola, visa and Adidas spring to mind
 
tunstallhill said:
Since when was protesting against racism anything to do with politics ?

Sterling and saka etc.. have received racial abuse, they have the right to make an anti racism gesture at any time they like. It's has got absolutely zero to do with politics
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You answered your own question. The definition of protesting:-
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.

The england team should stick to football, but they're crossed the line and we have other threads to argue about how righteous that was. But once you've committed to a political action, you will lose credibility through hypocrisy and the Qatar World Cup is one giant exercise in hypocrisy especially around the subject of racism.
 
Emcon said:
You answered your own question. The definition of protesting:-
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.

The england team should stick to football, but they're crossed the line and we have other threads to argue about how righteous that was. But once you've committed to a political action, you will lose credibility through hypocrisy and the Qatar World Cup is one giant exercise in hypocrisy especially around the subject of racism.
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You think someone being racist towards somone else is a 'political' action ?
 
I'm glad this sort of thing is getting a mention now and building a bit on line.

The whole world cup stinks. From the way the bid was awarded, to the human rights abuses and deaths to stage it, their views on women and homosexuality, winning the bid then changing it to a winter tournament, etc etc. Nothing feels right about it.

I'd decided years ago to quietly not watch it and accept that if any of the UK nations do well then I might be one of the few. Good a few others think the same and it will be interesting if a few countries band together to let their feelings for future world cups be known. I do appreciate it would be hard for an individual player, especially if it would see them banned from the next one. But imagine if the major European nations, plus Brazil and Argentina all turned round and said "no", at some point in the next year. FIFA would be pretty much finished.
 
Emcon said:
Sport is apolitical and its what I and a small number of others were arguing about England all along and its adoption of pet political causes has opened it up to the charge of hypocrisy, when it doesn't follow the high noble values in something that will cost them personally... Anyone whose ever being to the Gulf is wholly aware how racist a place it is and those 6k dead workers weren't Qatari Citizens and were expendable guest workers that are treated as little more than modern day slaves.
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100% this - they've been happy to take the plaudits, which were rightly given, for taking the moral high ground on blm and other political issues - let's see where they stand when it really matters and it's going to hurt them in the pocket.

The fact this is going ahead is a disgrace, both in terms of how it was awarded and the subsequent deaths of migrant workers. Let's see if their lives matter, or maybe as Henry Winter suggests they can wear a t shirt or send a strongly worded letter.

There were similar noises about the Russian World Cup but Gary and the boys on the BBC couldn't have had a nicer welcome apparently.
 
Emcon said:
You answered your own question. The definition of protesting:-
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.

The england team should stick to football, but they're crossed the line and we have other threads to argue about how righteous that was. But once you've committed to a political action, you will lose credibility through hypocrisy and the Qatar World Cup is one giant exercise in hypocrisy especially around the subject of racism.
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Bingo.
 
I'm not watching it like. It's f***ing shocking what's happening over there in regards to migrant workers dying and developing irreversible kidney problems due to the hours they are working and the lack of water. 6,900 workers have died since 2010. That's around 11 people every week for 11 years. That's absolutely unacceptable before even going into the corruption and the fact its going to be in winter.
 
I imagine a boycott would work until/if England progress to the Semis/Finals. At this point, I, and dare I say, others would struggle to not watch it.

Having gone to the Euros Semi/Final this year, it was an amazing experience. Whilst we won't be going out to Qatar, we would probably watch it on TV as things stand (and my limited research into the situations around Qatar)

Does that make me a bad human being? I don't know, ultimately it's what the Qataris want to touch upon, the loyalty of fans to look past their misgivings.

I will have to do a lot of my own research to help me come to a decision that I'm comfortable with.
 
Emcon said:
You answered your own question. The definition of protesting:-
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.

The england team should stick to football, but they're crossed the line and we have other threads to argue about how righteous that was. But once you've committed to a political action, you will lose credibility through hypocrisy and the Qatar World Cup is one giant exercise in hypocrisy especially around the subject of racism.
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So you are saying England players should not be allowed to respond to abuse directed at them?
 
UpTheDuff said:
So you are saying England players should not be allowed to respond to abuse directed at them?
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Exactly what him and others are saying.. they are the epitome of snowflakery.

Sterling gets racist abuse - him and his team mates decide to make a 2 second gesture before a football game - entire England team is criticised for bringing 'politics' into football. Fucks sake man

For what it's worth I'd absolutely love the England team to be the first to boycott the tournament. Would be a source of immense pride for this country, they would be hero's for eternity

But if they do go and play, the whole anti-racist gesture of the euros doesn't make them hypocrites
 
Would be interesting if some bars and other places did events whilst the games are on specifically for people who didn't want to watch it.
 
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