Despite having a shoddy track record for human rights, Qatar has been chosen to host the 2022 World Cup. In preparation for the tournament, the Gulf state spent $220 billion on new infrastructure. Qatar has also suffered from a number of worker fatalities in the build-up to the tournament. The International Federation of Journalists points out that Qatar’s penal code will be changed in the 2020 revision.
The organisers of the World Cup have been under fire for limiting media coverage, and for the plethora of rules surrounding where journalists can and cannot film. For example, media outlets are not allowed to photograph people living in residential properties. They are also banned from filming in industrial zones.
The same restrictions also apply to photography of government facilities and private businesses. Qatar’s sharia law prohibits homosexual acts and carries a death penalty for such relationships. However, the country has agreed to show restraint when it comes to interacting with the LGBTQ community.
A reporter at the World Cup was briefly detained when he tried to enter the stadium. He was wearing a rainbow-colored T-shirt in support of the LGBTQ community. However, security staff said that the T-shirt was a political statement and asked him to take it off.
The journalist said that he was told by a security guard to remove the T-shirt, but it was not done. He said that security staff told him that he was not permitted to film or take photos in the stadium. He also said that the guard placed his hand in front of his camera. After a bit of a scuffle, Wahl was released. He later wrote about his ordeal in his Substack blog.
While there have been a number of controversies surrounding the World Cup, the best known incident was a robbery that occurred after the opening ceremony. An Argentine TV reporter had his belongings stolen while he was on air in Doha. He said that money, documents and credit cards were taken from his handbag.
A German journalist also experienced a minor faux pas. When he tried to take a photo of a rainbow flag that he was holding, he was told that the flag was not permitted. He also claimed that security staff threatened to break his camera equipment.
The organisers of the World cup later apologized for the incident. They said that they had made a mistake, and that they had not meant to restrict the camera’s use.
It is important to note that the rainbow is not permitted in stadiums. However, there are seven European Football Associations that have announced that they will not wear rainbow armbands during the games. This is due to the fact that the colours of the rainbow are considered offensive by the Qatari government.
The best way to cover the tournament is to cover it all, but journalists will be given little to no leniency if they are caught spreading fake news. The International Federation of Journalists has urged Qatar to revise its penal code to prevent the spread of misinformation.
