In Europe, Boycott Qatar 2022 has emerged as a catchphrase for teams, fans and players who oppose the tournament and want to draw attention to human rights and environmental concerns in the host country. It was unfurled by fans and seen by millions of others watching on TV.
Doha and FIFA vehemently dispute the US Justice Department's recent allegations that Qatar was involved in buying votes from FIFA delegates.
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The Boycott Qatar 2022 movement aims to raise awareness of issues with democracy, the rights of migrant workers, the LGBT community, and women, as well as the environmental effects of holding a competition in air-conditioned stadiums.
This is the first time a country from the Middle East has won the event in its 92-year history. Former president Sepp Blatter earlier said that handing World Cup 2022 to Qatar was a "mistake". Blatter presided over FIFA in 2010, the year Qatar was handed over the tournament. Blatter, 86, has now said, "It is too small of a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it."
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Pressure on Qatar is coming from a variety of sources, not only the football world. Nancy Faeser, a minister of Germany, has criticised Qatar for hosting the World Cup. A formal protest was then made to the German envoy in Doha as a result.
While some believe that athletes should take action and boycott the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray disagrees. Many of the athletes travelling there have dedicated their entire life to playing in a World Cup, Murray said while putting the ball on FIFA’s court and blamed those organising such major events. He said they should decide whether it was the right thing to do or not.
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No matter their gender or sexual orientation, visitors to Qatar 2022 will be greeted and treated with respect, the event's organisers have said many times before. Sharing housing will not be prohibited for unmarried couples, they said.
Despite the controversy surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2022, the event is selling out at a rate comparable to that of the previous two decades, with nearly 2.9 million tickets having been sold as of mid-October, according to a statement from FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
