The 2022 World Cup is set to be one of the most high-profile events in sports, and it’s also one of the most controversial. Since Qatar and Russia were awarded the rights to host the 2010 World Cup, allegations of vote-buying have dominated the build-up to the tournament. Several of the 24 members of the executive committee were suspended after a video surfaced of them offering votes in exchange for cash.
Although a FIFA investigation cleared Russia of wrongdoing, investigations have continued in France and Switzerland. In the United States, an indictment accusing three members of the FIFA executive board of receiving payments to support Qatar’s bid. However, Qatar’s response has been to state that the decision to host the 2022 World Championship was not politically motivated, but was purely in the interest of expanding soccer to new regions.
The World Cup’s host nation Qatar is also home to a male guardianship system, which is a loosely-defined set of laws that require the approval of a male member of the family. Despite being illegal, homosexuality is not always punished, although the punishment is rarely severe. The local World Clubs are also allowing displays about the rights of LGBTQ people in the stadiums. Therefore, there is no reason to be worried about the 2022 World Cup’s reputation.
In the western world, the boycott of the fifa world cup 2022 is becoming more popular. Many countries, including Germany, have already voted to boycott the tournament, so that the world can focus on football. Some even believe that the Qatari government paid a Qatari official $5 million to secure their bid. While this is still an issue, two executive members were suspended and an internal ethics investigation was conducted by FIFA.
While the FIFA president Joseph Blatter announced that Qatar would host the 2022 World Cup, there have been accusations of corruption. The disgraced former Fifa vice president Jack Warner received a $2m payment from the Qatar campaign. The Sunday Times also revealed that a fifth of the funds went to his former boss and top football official Mohamed bin Hammam. Nevertheless, despite the protests, the decision has caused the infamous “Qatargate” scandal that has caused controversy.
Apart from the alleged corruption, the 2022 World Cup bidding process has been plagued by accusations of political influence. Some African officials allegedly received up to PS1.5m for the 2022 bid. The disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been forced to resign over the scandal. In addition, it has been accused of sportswashing. This is the practice of using sporting events to try and gain legitimacy.