Why I am not watching the 2022 World Cup Football

Ever since the 2022 edition was given to Qatar the decision has been publicly debated on and off. It all started with the dubious motivation to host the most important football tournament in a hot desert country with no football tradition to speak off. That got fixed by moving the tournament from the summer to the winter and by building giant air conditioned football stadiums. Likely not contributing positively in our struggle to keep climate change under control. Then there were the incidents with unsafe working conditions, deaths and ‘slave labour’ while building the stadiums. Then followed the illiberal standpoint from Qatar on LGBTQ+ rights. Qatar feels treated very unfairly by the West as the previous championship was hosted by another ‘dictatorship’ and there were not many protests then. FIFA complained that we are not seeing how football unites and how things have improved in Qatar in the last years (thanks to FIFA no doubt). It is basically the same age old argument governments and businesses have used to justify doing business with undemocratic regimes. By trading they will introduce prosperity and bring about democratic change and improvements for the citizens. In his last statement FIFA boss Infantino and others now accuse us of hypocrisy and racism. Besides, not watching is ineffective life style activism, only good to soothe your own consciousness. These last accusations were for me the last straw and I will personally not be bullied into watching this tournament. The fact that Qatar decided 2 days before the tournament that alcohol could no longer be served near the stadiums shattered any hope I had things were changing over there : yesterday’s promise, tomorrow’s dead letter. I wish everyone who watches a lot of fun and good games but I am going to pass on this one.