The 2022 FIFA World Cup is the 22nd finals of the FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament contested by FIFA's senior men's national teams. This edition of the tournament is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022. For the first time, Qatar is hosting this tournament and it is the first FIFA World Cup ever to be held on the Arabian Peninsula, and in a Muslim-majority country. The 2022 FIFA World Cup will also be the second FIFA World Cup to be held entirely in Asia after the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan. namely at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America) the finals will involve 48 teams. Unfortunately, the first world cup event held in the Middle East was met with several controversies before and after the kick-off was carried out. Some of these controversies are as follows:
- Prohibition of the Sale of Beer
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. It is known, Qatar is one of the Muslim countries that has strict rules regarding alcohol.
Following discussions between the authorities of the host country (Qatar) and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages at the FIFA Fan Festival," FIFA said in a statement. FIFA World 2022 Qatar," continued the statement. It was stated that visitors are not allowed to bring alcohol into the country of Qatar even from the duty-free section of the airport. It is known that consuming alcohol in public is illegal in the country with the capital city of Doha. Alcohol is only sold in certain bars and hotels where the price of a 500ml bottle of beer can reach US$15 or around Rp.234 thousand (Assuming exchange rate Rp.15,647/US$).FIFA said that it and Qatar would continue to ensure that the stadium and its surroundings provide a pleasant experience , honorable and memorable for all fans of the national team (timnas) who will compete.
- Human Right Issues
The Qatari government has repeatedly faced criticism over the appalling conditions of migrant workers. Even though they helped build the infrastructure for the World Cup. Quoted from france24, Qatar has faced allegations of unreported deaths and injuries among migrant workers. In addition, the wages of unskilled laborers have not been paid. The Qatari government has highlighted the issue.
In an interview with French magazine Le Point, Qatari ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said he was proud of the steps the emirate was taking to safeguard the welfare of workers. "We understood that we had problems with work at construction sites and we took decisive action in a short time," the emir said in only his third interview since he ascended to the throne in 2013. He claimed he would punish employers who neglect to employ migrant workers. "We have changed the law and we are punishing anyone who harasses an employee. We have opened our doors to non-governmental organizations and we are working with them. We are proud of it," he said.
- LGBTQ+ Issues
LGBTQ+ is one of the hot issues at the Qatar World Cup. When the issue of alcohol seems to have subsided. The issue of human rights was temporarily closed by the hustle and bustle of the match. However, the issue of LGBTQ+ continues to surface. Several teams, mainly from Europe, still insist on promoting the One Love, One Love movement. Several team captains, such as Manuel Neuer (Germany), still insist on wearing the rainbow-colored armband. The color that is judged to represent LGBTQ+.
They were angry with FIFA, which threatened to impose sanctions if a player dared to use the One Love ban. The German squad showed an action covering their mouths with their hands when taking pictures before playing against Japan in the first match of Group E at Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Wednesday (23/11). They protested because they felt silenced by FIFA.
- Paid Audience Issues
Qatar 2022 World Cup accused of renting paid spectators, this is the reaction of the President of FIFA. According to Gianni Infantino, it was a racist act because it belittled Qatar. In fact, there are rumors that FIFA hires supporters to enliven this four-yearly international football tournament. This narrative is also supported by a number of evidence circulating on social media.
One of them, there is a video showing a group of people wearing jerseys and attributes for the England, Germany, and Argentina national teams. Doubts arise because the people who support the various teams look the same. Judging from their stature and posture, they are not native to the countries concerned. Previously, the highest committee had denied the claim to the BBC. It was stated that every fan in every country in the world has a different way of supporting their favorite team.
