Qatar 2022. Human Rights Analysis

Protests against the Qatar World Cup elicit a mixed response.Some countries express support, others express outright hostility, and still others remain silent.

Human rights protests at the FIFA World Cup 2022 have elicited everything from sympathy to indifference and outright hostility, with Qatar's critics frequently being targeted.

Germany's hands-over-mouths protest, in response to being denied the right to wear a "OneLove" armband, was quickly followed by accusations of anti-Arab racism and mockery of the country's Nazi past.

Other acts of solidarity with Qatar's LGBTQ community and migrant workers, often by European teams or fans, have elicited suspicion rather than solidarity from many around the world.

During the tournament, some fans wore rainbow clothing, and government officials from Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom were seen in stadiums wearing "OneLove" armbands.

However, various parts of the world have expressed skepticism about a human rights debate centered on a football tournament.

But what is the OneLove armband and why did FIFA ban it?

The 'OneLove' armbands were first introduced in 2020 as part of the Royal Dutch Football Association's inclusiveness campaign (KNVB).

The KNVB campaign is against discrimination based on race, skin color, sexual orientation, culture, faith, nationality, gender, and age, as well as "all other forms of discrimination."

A rainbow flag in the shape of a heart with a number one in the center is surrounded by the text "One Love" on either side and the words "football connects" in cursive below.

WHY WERE THE TEAM CAPTAINS GOING TO WEAR THE ARMBAND AT THE WORLD CUP? * The captains from England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark planned to wear the armbands in protest of Qatar's anti-same-sex laws.

WHAT IS QATAR'S RECORD IN REGARD TO LGBT RIGHTS? * Homosexuality is illegal in the conservative Muslim country, and some soccer players have expressed concern about fans traveling to the event, particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and women, whom rights groups claim are discriminated against by Qatari laws.

The announcement that Qatar would host this year's FIFA World Cup drew cheers from the streets of Doha, marking the tournament's first appearance in the Arab world.

However, the decision, made in 2010, sparked immediate criticism - over the logistics of holding a sporting event in a country where summertime temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees; allegations of bribery and corruption among FIFA officials who voted for Qatar; and ongoing concerns about human rights violations.

Working and living conditions for those migrant workers were frequently exploitative and dangerous. Inadequate infrastructure and migrant worker deaths

Qatar is the smallest country to ever host the World Cup, a complex international sporting event that attracts large crowds and necessitates extensive infrastructure.

When Qatar was chosen in 2010, it lacked many of the stadiums, hotels, and highways required to host the tournament. To construct them, the country relied on its massive population of migrant workers, who account for 90% or more of the labor force. (Only about 300,000 Qataris live in the country.) Migrant workers whose visas are tied to their employment far outnumber them, a system common in the Middle East.)

Other human rights abuses

The concerns over human rights abuses go beyond the treatment of migrant workers.Qatar's penal code criminalizes sex outside of marriage, which has resulted in rape victims being prosecuted. Sex between men is punishable by up to seven years in prison, and men who "instigate" or "entice" another man to commit "an act of sodomy or immorality" face one to three years in prison.

In a recent interview with a German broadcaster, a Qatari World Cup ambassador described homosexuality as "mental damage."

Bribery and corruption allegations

Qatar's selection as World Cup host country has long been plagued by allegations of bribery and corruption.

Following a series of votes by FIFA officials, the selection was announced in 2010. Qatar triumphed over bids from the United States, South Korea, Japan, and Australia.

Various FIFA and other organization officials have been accused of accepting or soliciting bribes to steer the World Cup to Qatar over the years.

A dozen FIFA officials involved in the selection have since been barred from the organization, including former President Sepp Blatter, or have been charged with corruption.