Quatar 2023 football world championship

[Skybird]

Like it or not, the football event is coming, and its close. Many controversies around it included. Why not having a football thread and starting a bit early and look at the country that hosts the championship and finds itself so often at the focus of Western criticism?

Myself, I hold no opinion on Quatar itself, becasue I never was there and I know pritcially nothing about it. The Wetsenr blasé atottude twards it is obvious, and I do nto give anything for it, because being blasé towards anyone not wnatign to be like us Wetserners is so much common now that I cannot take it serious anymore - not with that desastrous state our own household is in and the many issues and problems we not only cannot solve, but create ourselves.

Has anyone here ever been in Quatar for longer time, lived there? Care to share your views of it?

I start with this - apparently first of several - essays I read today in FOCUS. The autor does not hide his surprise, and this article is the reason why I had the idea for this thread. Can anyone comment on it from own experience?
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German media are ranting about the "World Cup of Shame" and sharply attacking the host Qatar. But are the accusations justified in this form? Is everything really so bleak in the emirate? FOCUS online traveled to the desert state to see for itself.

As I approach Doha, I am overcome with doubt. Will I ever get out of here in one piece? Or will the police intercept me? For a wrong word, a wrong move? Caning? Prison?

Actually, I am well prepared. I have carefully filled out all the entry forms, have been vaccinated against Corona, and know the emergency number for the German embassy. During the last five and a half hours in the Qatar Airways plane, I have listened to a few Koran verses and drunk tomato juice. A film about God was playing on the screen in my front seat: Diego Armando Maradona.

The Argentine was and remains the best kicker in the universe. Even if Lionel Messi will try to get a little closer to him again in the coming weeks.

As a reporter in the World Cup country Qatar: Many doubts in the luggage

The flags of the World Cup participants in Qatar's capital Doha. The German flag is at the front because the team qualified first.
Göran Schattauer / FOL The flags of the World Cup participants in Qatar's capital Doha. The German flag is at the front because the team was the first to qualify.

On November 20, the World Cup begins in Qatar. A state smaller than Schleswig-Holstein. One of the richest countries in the world. A mystery for millions of Germans. Beautiful and yet inscrutable. Also for me.

Shortly before the start of the biggest sporting event in 2022, I travel to the desert state on the Persian Gulf. After everything I have read and heard about Qatar recently, nothing good awaits me.

Human rights violations, exploitation of guest workers, oppression of women, discrimination against homosexuals, draconian punishments for breaking the law, massively restricted freedom of the press - such buzzwords dominate reporting about the Arab-Muslim country. There is talk of a "World Cup of Shame". Minister of the Interior Faeser (SPD) even thinks that the Emirate should never have been awarded the contract.

Serious accusations against the Emirate: How justified are they?

But how justified are the accusations, some of them serious, which place Qatar in the vicinity of an unjust state? Are all the negative things really what Qatar is all about? Or is the situation different once you are there and encounter the country without prejudice?

To find out, I travel through Qatar for several days. I explore the capital Doha and drive deep into the interior, into the desert. I meet Qatari businessmen, talk to German entrepreneurs and listen to ordinary people on the street. Of course, I also interview guest workers from India or Nepal, who toil in the sweltering heat to polish everything to a shine for the big tournament.

I will report on my experiences in several articles that will appear on FOCUS online over the next few days.
The World Cup host surprises me - and in a positive way!

After the first impressions I can already say: The World Cup host has surprised me - and positively! Despite undeniable problems that exist in the country, despite some peculiarities that seem strange and perhaps even disturbing to us "Westerners".

Rarely have I met such hospitable, such open-hearted people. They all welcome me warmly and cordially. With gestures, with words.

The cab driver, the waiters, hotel employees, vendors, employees of authorities, government employees, the ushers in the subway, even policemen - every one of them shows me that I am welcome in Qatar. As a journalist, I can move around and research freely; the only taboos are security and military installations, just as in any country in the world.

"Germany is wonderful. We love the Germans"

I feel: people here treat each other very respectfully. They accept other cultures, other religions, other ways of life.

"Germany is wonderful. We love the Germans" - I hear these sentences from many Qataris. They drive BWM, Audi, VW, Mercedes, Porsche. They buy gingerbread in the supermarket. Those who can afford it have architects, window makers and lighting installers flown in from Germany. Hundreds of Germans work and live here. They are doing well. They are enthusiastic.

Of course people in Qatar follow the German media, of course they are disappointed. They feel they have been treated unfairly. Recognition? Appreciation? Not at all. Only recently, the Emir of Qatar complained that his country was facing an "unprecedented campaign," that "slander" was being spread and that "double standards" were being applied.

"Attitude of the West towards Qatar is presumptuous"

Many Germans, some of whom have lived in the prosperous Gulf state for years and are very successful as businessmen or employees of large companies, have a similar view.

"The West's attitude toward Qatar is presumptuous and arrogant," a manager from Hesse tells me. Many Qatar critics in Germany, she says, regard their own values as the measure of all things. "It doesn't even occur to them that there could be other models of society besides Western democracy in which people are happy."

Qatar is an absolute monarchy. At its head is Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. He took over the reigns from his father in 2013. The emir, now 42, aligned his country, which has neither political parties nor a parliament, in a pro-Western direction and established democratic structures. The emir is very popular in his homeland.

The desert state of Qatar: Once destitute - now immensely rich

Just 80 or 90 years ago, the small desert state of Qatar was destitute. People lived on pearls, which they extracted from the sea and sold under great hardship. When the first barrels of crude oil were extracted in the west of the country in 1939 and later huge gas reserves were discovered, a new era dawned, the era of prosperity. Qatar worked its way inexorably to the top of the world's richest countries.

The ruling family around Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani set Qatar on a breathtaking growth course that ultimately benefited everyone - the powerful corporations as well as the country's nearly three million citizens. Only about 10 percent of them were born here; most have immigrated from all over the world or come here to work for a certain period of time.

Qatar has a first-class infrastructure and an exemplary healthcare system; it is one of the safest countries in the world. In addition, the government pumps billions of dollars into education, art, culture and sports. While it takes 14 years to build a single airport in Germany, Qatar is pounding a new, ultra-modern city out of the sand in that time.

"There are many things that we Germans can only marvel at"

"We Germans can only marvel at many things that are being built here at an insane pace," a top restaurateur who has been working here since 2018 tells me. Instead, he says, attempts are made to denigrate the country wherever possible, often by people who have never been here. He has stopped reading the reports. "I think everyone should look at themselves first and try to solve their own problems instead of just bashing others."

He goes on to say, "We can talk about human rights, we can talk about guest workers, we can talk about the gay and lesbian scene, but above everything, one thing has to be very clear: Respect!" But that's exactly what he says is missing in the German media and among some politicians.

With each new day in Qatar, my fears that the state might punish me for some infraction diminish.

I accidentally photograph a building that, according to the government, may not be filmed - a security guard shouts "No Photos," enlightens me and wishes me a nice day.
I interview guest workers on the open street who are toiling in the sweltering heat and have them describe their situation to me - no one forbids me to do so, although surveillance cameras are hanging everywhere and people in charge are walking around.
Like many others, I cross the street at a red light - surrounding police officers do not react. And on the highway my driver drives much faster than allowed - without consequences.
In the subway I don't wear a Corona mask, which is strictly forbidden - no watchdog intervenes. In Germany, I would probably have been thrown off the train and had to pay a fine.
Because my cell phone battery is empty, I can't show the Covid warning app "Etheraz" in a museum, which was absolutely mandatory until October 31 and with which the Qatari health authorities track my location in real time - the female employees wave me through.

"There are plenty of gays and lesbians in Qatar".

How does all this fit in with the reports of draconian punishments for even - from our perspective - the smallest of offenses? I'm beginning to get the feeling that the Qatari government appears stricter to the outside world than it really is.

A Syrian who has lived in Doha for 13 years and works as a tour guide confirms this: "Some things are not allowed in public, for example drinking alcohol or physical contact among homosexuals. What people did in private, he says, is of no concern to the state. "There are plenty of gays and lesbians in Qatar," he says. "But they don't wear that on the outside. It's their private business. And as long as they don't hold hands on the street, no one bothers."

Admittedly, that's little comfort to homosexuals. They cannot live and show their love freely, they have to hide. Otherwise, they face harsh punishments. In Qatar, the Sharia, the legal system of Islam, applies. This includes the death penalty, which has not been carried out in the country for a long time.

Strict regulations also apply to alcohol. Foreigners living in Qatar are allowed to buy beer, wine and liquor in selected stores if they have first obtained a license from the state. This costs around 40 euros in the first year and gradually increases to 110 euros in the fourth year.

On the way from the store to the home (only drinking is allowed there), the alcohol must be "protected from public view," according to Qatari authorities. It is also strictly forbidden to give alcohol to others, especially locals. They can only get alcohol in restaurants and hotels. Although the prices are steep - a half liter of Budweiser beer can easily cost 16 euros - in principle, the bars and pubs are no different than ours.
Men in traditional robes drink gin and tonic

At first glance, it seems strange to see men in traditional white robes and headscarves sitting at a table and sipping gin and tonic. But so what? That, too, is Qatar!

And anyone who thinks that the women here are all covered from head to toe should take a trip to the Marriott or Kempinski at night. There, dark-haired beauties in high heels and skimpy dresses let it rip like in New York, London or Berlin. They dance, party and pose for their Instagram followers, taking a few puffs from shiny gold shishas in between.

The women in Qatar. Many German media and organizations such as Human Rights Watch portray them primarily as victims who are dominated by men and have hardly any chance to develop freely. Allegedly, they are not even allowed to leave the house without a man accompanying them. Moreover, they would have to dress "demurely."

Even emancipated women wear floor-length dresses

Talking to locals, I learn that Qatari women wear their abaya, the traditional black dress, voluntarily and gladly. It is part of their culture. They have grown up with it. In addition, the "cover" protects them from unwanted glances from foreign men.

Self-confident, emancipated women also wear the floor-length dresses and cover their hair. This has nothing to do with submissiveness, they say. It is their "free decision. Whether that applies to everyone, I can't say. In any case, there is no compulsion to wear the veil here, as there is in Iran. Only women who work in government offices should wear abayas - as a sign of their cultural identity. And if it is not customary in Qatar to show naked skin on the street, it has something to do with respect for society, I am told.

I experience how considerately women are treated

Even though there are always reports about women being exploited and sexually abused as domestic help or nannies, even though women are not equal to men in many areas: Several times I experience how courteously and considerately women are treated in Qatar. Two examples:

When a woman goes to a government office, a staff member immediately approaches her and makes sure that her request is dealt with promptly. It is unthinkable in Qatar for a woman to have to take a number and wait forever, as is the case in German offices.

A German businessman pushes away his wife's call because he has a customer on the line. An absolute no-go for a Qatari! "My wife would be so offended that I would have to sleep on the sofa for two weeks," reports a local.

Women drive cars, study, have top jobs in government agencies

Long after dark, I still see mothers in the playground with their children or sitting together over tea and dates. Others go jogging - all alone - in the park. Girls play soccer under floodlights. Maybe they'll make the national team someday. Yes, Qatar also has a national women's team.

Women here drive cars, study, go to work, and occupy management positions in state agencies. Incidentally, they earn just as much as men in the same job; this is regulated by law. Qatar was the first country in the Gulf to grant women active and passive voting rights. You read very little about this in our media.

Of course, it is difficult for "Westerners" to understand that men are allowed to marry several women, which is still the case in Qatar today. It does not correspond to our values. But do we therefore have the right to condemn such things? "No, you don't," the guide, who is from Syria, teaches me. "Everyone should respect each other's values and traditions, not rise above them."

I change perspective - and that's a good thing

I'm happy to be here. I think it's important to switch perspectives and hear what people on the other side think. That way I can better understand why they act the way they do. Of course there are things that could be better. But is that different here in Germany? In the USA, France, Great Britain?

I experience Qatar as clean, safe and peaceful, tolerant and cosmopolitan. Next to the mosque, a Starbucks. Next to mirrored skyscrapers, a herd of camels. Next to ancient market stalls under a blazing hot sun, icy air-conditioned shopping malls. Tradition and modernity, East and West - here everything comes together, here everyone comes together. At the World Cup more than ever.

In the subway, I spot Schweini [Sebastian Schweinsteiger, Skybird] with the World Cup trophy.

The Qataris are looking forward to fans and players. National flags are flying everywhere in Doha. Oversized banners of top stars like Neymar, Harry Kane , Luka Modrić, Luis Suarez hang from the glittering towers in the West Bay business and shopping district.

I spot Schweini on the subway. On the huge photo he is holding up the trophy in 2014. The luxury perfumery "Al-Jazeera" has even released a fragrance that pays tribute to the successes of the German World Cup team. "Germany" is written on the bottle, 60 milliliters, lemony note. Under the black, red and gold flag flying at the World Cup countdown clock on Doha's Corniche is a sign with the word "Welcome."

That's Qatar. Qatar as I have experienced it.
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https://www.focus.de/sport/fussball/...174125408.html