FIFA rejects Zelensky’s peace-message request at WC Finals: Why Qatar 2022 is most controversial tournament in history
World Cup organiser FIFA has reportedly declined Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to use the global platform to deliver a message of world peace amid the ongoing war with Russia during the finals of the tournament in Qatar. According to a CNN report, the Ukrainian President wanted to deliver a message of world peace via a video to fans in the stadium in Qatar ahead of the game.
The report further claims that Zelensky was in fact shocked by the negative response from the Football World Cup organisers. However. CNN reported that talks between Ukraine and the sport’s governing body are still ongoing.
While if approved, this would not have been the first virtual appearance of the President of the war-torn country to deliver a message of peace across the globe and urge for cessation of military aggression in Ukraine, it is not clear if the issue will at all be touched in the FIFA World Cup final event.
While this rejection may seem controversial to very many football fans and readers in general but that’s the level Qatar World Cup 2022 play at. The tournament, which can undoubtedly be touted as one of the most controversial sports tournaments in history, began and ended with controversy with a capital C. Let’s revisit.
The BBC opening
British news broadcaster BBC, in one of the most controversial moves, at the beginning of the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 broadcast an opening segment criticising the treatment of migrant workers, highlighting corruption at Fifa and discussing the ban on homosexuality in Qatar. And that was just in the opening two minutes.
“It’s the most controversial World Cup in history and a ball hasn’t even been kicked,” said the Match of the Day host Gary Lineker as he welcomed viewers to the start of the national broadcaster’s coverage on BBC One.
Journalist Grant Wahl’s death
US journalist Grant Wahl, who was detained in Qatar for wearing a rainbow shirt in support of the LGBTQ community, died while covering the FIFA World Cup. While many associated Wahl’s death with the short detention he faced in a country that has strict views against the LGBTQIA+ community, his wife confirmed that the journalist died of an aortic aneurysm that ruptured.
Corruption allegations
Even before its onset, FIFA’s organisers have been under the scanner for the discrepancies in the bidding process, especially in awarding Qatar the rights to hold the tournament in 2022. The allegations include that Qatar bribed officials of the FIFA committee to win the bid for the World Cup.
Though the allegations were later clarified by both Qatar and the organisers, it ought to be one of the major controversies surrounding the 2022 World Cup.
The migrant labourers- human rights violation debate
Qatar has been under tremendous wrath for the death and ill-treatment of the migrant workers who were employed at the Lusail stadium or Al-Bayt Stadium construction site- the ground where FIFA matches are being played.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Monarchy which enjoys a generous reputation among migrant workers has maintained that the country has already provided tens of millions of dollars to workers whose wages were withheld by their companies.
