In the last week, thousands of supporters seem to have flooded Qatar. However, the sight of thousands of supporters looked strange even though they were wearing the jerseys of the 2022 World Cup participating countries. The strangeness was related to the identities of the supporters in Qatar, most of whom came from Middle Eastern or other Asian countries such as India. Supporters from Middle Eastern countries or India seemed to support European teams such as England, Germany and France.
4. Banning the Sale of Beer at the 2022 World Cup Qatar
The International Football Federation (FIFA) has officially banned the sale of alcoholic beer to fans watching the 2022 World Cup (2022 World Cup) at eight World Cup stadiums, Friday (18/11/2022).
Reported by Channel News Asia, the announcement was officially issued by FIFA exactly two days before the kick-off of the inaugural 2022 World Cup after discussions with Qatar as the host. Previously, Qatar was one of the Muslim countries that had strict rules regarding alcohol.
Previously, Budweiser, one of the main sponsors of the World Cup, had the exclusive right to sell its beer, AB InBev, around the stadium, three hours before and one hour after each game.
However, the policy was finally revised after lengthy negotiations between FIFA President, Gianni Infantino; Budweiser; and the Executive of the Supreme Committee of Qatar.
The ban on the sale of alcohol in stadiums received many protests from football fans who came directly to Qatar. Fans from Ecuador even shouted "We want beer" while watching their favorite national team match against the host team Qatar.
FIFA emphasized that it and Qatar will continue to ensure that the stadium and its surroundings provide a fun, respectable and memorable experience for all fans of the national team (timnas) who will compete.
5. The issue of human rights violations of migrant workers
Several media outlets have also reported on the inhumane treatment of the thousands of migrant workers building infrastructure for the World Cup. The CNN report stated that a migrant worker from Nepal with the pseudonym Kamal had not received the promised bonus and was even sent to jail for unclear reasons.
However, the Qatari authorities themselves denied the report.
A Qatari government official told CNN in a statement: "Any claim that workers are jailed or deported without explanation is untrue. Action is only taken in very specific cases, for example if someone participates in violence."
Meanwhile, The Guardian reported last year that 6,500 South Asian migrant workers have died in Qatar since the country was confirmed to host the World Cup in 2010, most engaged in low-paying and dangerous work, often carried out in extreme heat.
