‘s broadcasts of the World Cup will start on Sunday. At 17:15, TV2 and Areena will discuss human rights. You can access the competition pages here.
The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup has been the talk of the town since it was awarded to Qatar in 2010.
Since then, not only the ambiguities related to the granting process but also the grievances related to Qatar have come to light. The poor conditions of the country’s migrant workers have spoken out, as has the position of Qatari women and sexual and gender minorities.
All-time top scorer of the Finnish women’s national football team Linda Sällström decided early on that he wasn’t going to watch a single game.
– Only money and corruption have gone ahead here. I can’t close my eyes to all the bad things that these games will bring. There is no way I can watch the games with a good feeling, Sällström begins.
According to Sällström, local players and fans have not been thought of when awarding the games.
– The competitions have been awarded to a country where homosexuality is prohibited by law and women have no rights of any kind. The Games have not really been thought of on a sustainable basis, when stadiums are built with billions in the middle of the desert. And the migrant workers, who have mostly built infrastructures with slave labor, have not been thought of… Thousands of people have died because of the Games. I can’t enjoy football and the atmosphere of the competition in any way when these things are running through my mind.
Athletes in an unfair position
Sällström is involved In the Finnish Human Rights Association’s Don’t Break the Sport campaign (you will switch to another service). On social media, he has taken a stand on addressing racism, organizing sports competitions in countries that violate human rights, as well as defending the rights of transgender athletes.
Sällström also brings up the unfair position of athletes in relation to the World Cup in Qatar. In many countries, the series ended only a week before the games, and in England, for example, the league cup continues two days after the World Cup final.
– The load is absolutely shocking for the players in the middle of the season. It’s really sad for the players, who wouldn’t necessarily really want to play in these conditions. As an athlete, I know how big a deal it is to get to play in prestigious competitions and then it is taken away so that the men in suits have made senseless decisions in the cabinets!
The opening match of the World Cup will be played on Sunday. As the opening kick of the Games approaches, the media have brought up more and more terrible grievances. Tuesday Guardian said Qatar spares homosexuals from abuse (you go to another service)if they report other persons belonging to a sexual or gender minority.
– Quite shocking. There is no point in these games. Everything is so sickening and disgusting. I don’t understand how things have been allowed to go so far that the games are happening. This is not a new thing that has survived under the Games. The problems have been known for a long time. It is important that these are highlighted now and pressure is created so that this never happens again.
Almost all Helmars on the same lines
Longtime captain of the women’s national team Tinja-Riikka Korpela agrees with Sällström.
– Maybe I don’t really watch the games. I feel so sad about all this. Even though I’m a die-hard fan of bench sports, it’s not the usual happy racing crowd. I don’t know if I’ll watch the games. There are so many things that have gone wrong here, Korpela reflects.
– The only good thing here is that these things are being talked about. People may have woken up to how bad things are. I hope things change there.
Helmarit gathered last week in Spain, where the team faced Wales twice. The soon-to-be-started men’s World Cup was also discussed at the camp.
– We were thinking a bit about whether we will watch the games or not. Many agreed that it is a sad and irritated feeling. In a way, I wouldn’t want to see the games, because it reminds me of the things and injustices that happened there. On the other hand, we all love football and probably some games will be watched. I want to follow the news and hope that things will change.
Qatar promised to establish a women’s national football team after winning the Games. The team did play a couple of preliminary matches, but it has not played official matches since 2014.
Korpela reminds that women’s rights are generally bad in the country.
Like Sällström, Korpela feels sorry for the players.
– The athletes can’t help it if the games are played there. Surely no one would have wanted to play there. I understand that players go there. For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and they have dreamed of it since childhood.
– If I were in the same situation myself, of course I would want to go there and try to make an impact there. The fact that the games are played in the middle of the season is a security risk, the break before and after the games is really short. This is not a good situation for anyone.
The captain of the national team hopes that the International Football Association would listen to the players more and include them in decision-making.
– In addition, Fifa should definitely establish a compensation fund with the Qatari government for victims of human rights violations and pay compensation to migrant workers through it. In addition, Fifa must ensure that a similar human rights disaster never occurs again.