The 2022 World Cup is to be played in the world's richest country. As things stand, more than 62 workers will die for each game played during the 2022 tournament.
The 2022 World Cup is to be played in the world's richest country. As things stand, more than 62 workers will die for each game played during the 2022 tournament.
I hope some high profile players refuse to take part for this reason.
That would be really good. It would massively hit FIFA if one of the highest-profile players was to boycott their premium "product". I hope someone - or several - does that.
It took my breath away to see that statistic: 62 people dying per match. Almost unimaginable. It's even more than lost their lives in the Bradford fire - in every game of the tournament.
I'm sure the cameras will pick out a row of Bangladeshi construction workers in the crowd during the opening game. They'll smile nervously and wave to the world and eveyone will know what decent chaps their Qatari owners employers are.
I hope some high profile players refuse to take part for this reason.
I agree but I think it is unlikely to happen, for many players it is a chance in a lifetime and they won't want to give that up, lets face it most players are selfish at the best of times.
However, I think pressure should be put on the sponsors world wide. Not only raise awareness of McDonalds and Coke and others but deface their products with stickers containing information about the event they are sponsoring, add panels to their 48 sheet posters, create a Fifa killing logo and put it on the sponsors products - radical - civil disobedience yes ... but imagine the media coverage if it happened world wide. Imagine the pressure Coke and McDonalds could bring to bare!!!
PS The John Oliver show regularly slates Fifa so it is building some momentum.
FIFA are untouchable it seems. They are run like a dictatorship. You know blatter will only cease to be its mighty leader when he dies and i for one hope that day comes sooner rather than later.
A BBC film crew were arrested for spying and locked up for two days for filming in a worker's hostel. Put in front of a judge who accused them of being disrespectful.
Quite frankly I'm not sure how any "civilised" society could endorse sending a team to this immoral pit of a World Cup. They will justify it though. Football is morally bankrupt. It's money that matters not people's lives or shady back room deals. It's so disgusting.
A BBC film crew were arrested for spying and locked up for two days for filming in a worker's hostel. Put in front of a judge who accused them of being disrespectful.
When spin goes wrong, the BBC were invited to Qatar to see the living conditions and were taken to a smart accomodation block, the authorities did not bank on the BBC to go and find the real accommodation blocks.
It is a bit far off but any charity who use footballers as spokesmen or for publicity should name and shame them if they decide to go to this World Cup.
I hope some high profile players refuse to take part for this reason.
I agree but I think it is unlikely to happen, for many players it is a chance in a lifetime and they won't want to give that up, lets face it most players are selfish at the best of times.
However, I think pressure should be put on the sponsors world wide. Not only raise awareness of McDonalds and Coke and others but deface their products with stickers containing information about the event they are sponsoring, add panels to their 48 sheet posters, create a Fifa killing logo and put it on the sponsors products - radical - civil disobedience yes ... but imagine the media coverage if it happened world wide. Imagine the pressure Coke and McDonalds could bring to bare!!!
PS The John Oliver show regularly slates Fifa so it is building some momentum.
I agree completely. This issue, without a shadow of a doubt, needs to go beyond FIFA and the footballing community.
Individual Football Associations are powerless against the likes of FIFA and individual players will not risk their career to make a political point.
It's one thing having one country's FA endorse their national team making a political statement before a match when it really doesn't matter to FIFA (Argentina with The Falklands banners) - it's quite another for a country or player to openly criticise FIFA and underline the fact that they are currently complicit in what amounts to a mass murder. FIFA can turn a blind eye to one, but not the other.
Instead you need to attack the problem above their reach - strike clinically and attack the most vulnerable yet powerful things they rely upon; the sponsors and their sponsorship money.
McDonalds and Coca Cola alone would hate to have their bright red branding associated with the red of blood. I expect the likes of Sony won't be too enthused with pumping millions of dollars in to the competition and effectively buying the association with death. Or even consider the likes of Nike, known full well for using sweatshops, but even they try and present a charitable image with things like The Girl Effect.
The problem is - these deaths aren't known by enough people. I take pride in reading different newspapers and generally being a little clued up; but I had no idea just how horrific these numbers were.
People need to be educated so they know, they care and then they need to be empowered to let their voices be heard. When they want to voice their anger they should be directed at the sponsors and governments involved, and not FIFA who will be too busy calculating how much money they'll be making.
It will take a whole nation to boycott, and I think that is more likely than an individual player.
Wouldn't be out lot because they are dumb as 11 wooden planks, but I could see political pressure in some nations building, which might lead to a national debate and ultimately, political pressure on the team to pull out.
The deadliest middle eastern construction project since the pyramids!
John Oliver did a great piece on FIFA prior to last world cup - covered the Qatar 2022 award also. Very entertaining. John Oliver is now essential viewing.
This shows that these businesses are very protective about the way in which they're perceived. So there's no reason why more pressure on them won't do even more good.
The 2022 World Cup is to be played in the world's richest country. As things stand, more than 62 workers will die for each game played during the 2022 tournament.
Is that acceptable?
What about their anti-gay culture Chizz? Surely most people will be boycotting it on that basis alone!?!
Comments
To me FIFA are not acceptable.
I hope some high profile players refuse to take part for this reason.
Next.........
Is it acceptable to FIFA, probably!
It took my breath away to see that statistic: 62 people dying per match. Almost unimaginable. It's even more than lost their lives in the Bradford fire - in every game of the tournament.
ownersemployers are.http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/may/20/slave-deaths-qatar-world-cup-2022-fifa
However, I think pressure should be put on the sponsors world wide. Not only raise awareness of McDonalds and Coke and others but deface their products with stickers containing information about the event they are sponsoring, add panels to their 48 sheet posters, create a Fifa killing logo and put it on the sponsors products - radical - civil disobedience yes ... but imagine the media coverage if it happened world wide. Imagine the pressure Coke and McDonalds could bring to bare!!!
PS The John Oliver show regularly slates Fifa so it is building some momentum.
You know blatter will only cease to be its mighty leader when he dies and i for one hope that day comes sooner rather than later.
I will write to all sponsors of the WC in Quatar and tell them I will not purchase their products.
It's not very much, but I do think that if a few million people did this it might just have stop an award like this happening again.
corporate.press@adidas-group.com, Gil.Steyaert@adidas-group.com, pr@gazprom.ru, a.akimov@adm.gazprom.ru, natasha.waddington@hyundai-car.co.uk, bsseo@hmil.net, pphilpott@kia.co.uk, Press@us.mcd.com, steve.easterbrook@us.mcd.com, media@anheuser-busch.com, carlos.brito@inbev.com, gbpressofficemail@coca-cola.com, mukent@na.ko.com, cscharf@visa.com, visa@hillandknowlton.com, enquiries.europe@visa.com
Twitter Accounts: @adidas, @GazpromFootball, @Hyundai, @Kia, @McDonalds, @Budweiser, @CocaCola, @Visa
Individual Football Associations are powerless against the likes of FIFA and individual players will not risk their career to make a political point.
It's one thing having one country's FA endorse their national team making a political statement before a match when it really doesn't matter to FIFA (Argentina with The Falklands banners) - it's quite another for a country or player to openly criticise FIFA and underline the fact that they are currently complicit in what amounts to a mass murder. FIFA can turn a blind eye to one, but not the other.
Instead you need to attack the problem above their reach - strike clinically and attack the most vulnerable yet powerful things they rely upon; the sponsors and their sponsorship money.
McDonalds and Coca Cola alone would hate to have their bright red branding associated with the red of blood. I expect the likes of Sony won't be too enthused with pumping millions of dollars in to the competition and effectively buying the association with death. Or even consider the likes of Nike, known full well for using sweatshops, but even they try and present a charitable image with things like The Girl Effect.
The problem is - these deaths aren't known by enough people. I take pride in reading different newspapers and generally being a little clued up; but I had no idea just how horrific these numbers were.
People need to be educated so they know, they care and then they need to be empowered to let their voices be heard. When they want to voice their anger they should be directed at the sponsors and governments involved, and not FIFA who will be too busy calculating how much money they'll be making.
Wouldn't be out lot because they are dumb as 11 wooden planks, but I could see political pressure in some nations building, which might lead to a national debate and ultimately, political pressure on the team to pull out.
John Oliver did a great piece on FIFA prior to last world cup - covered the Qatar 2022 award also. Very entertaining. John Oliver is now essential viewing.
http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/visa-coke-express-concern-over-labour-conditions-ahead-of-qatar-world-cup-1.2382256
This shows that these businesses are very protective about the way in which they're perceived. So there's no reason why more pressure on them won't do even more good.