To think that alcohol ban in Qatar shouldn’t be a shock

[Laurendelaney1987]

The Newspapers are reporting that alcohol will not be served in stadiums during the World Cup.

I don’t understand the uproar: it’s a Muslim country: if you go there you shouldn’t expect to be drinking. Visitors have a choice of whether to visit or not, and Qatar are quite right to not want lots of drunks causing mayhem.

There are many many issues with hosting the World Cup in Qatar: but I don’t think this is a big one

Already happening F1 have four middle eastern Grand Prix's including Saudi - (not Qatar this year due to the football and not Russia this year and hopefully not any year again) Makes a mockery of all the diversity and women's racing promoting within motorsport - all lip service, it all goes out the door when the Yankee dollar is at stake. Woman have only just been able to be allowed to drive in Saudi.....

Haven’t read all the replies but from what I understand it’s more to do with the fact that this wasn’t said at the very beginning instead it’s being said less then 48 hours before it starts.
Of course every country has their own rules and they should be respected by visitors when they enter their country but you can’t let everyone book their tickets/hotels for something and then tell them the rules are slightly different from what you were told.
Also Budweiser are a major sponsor for the event which the host country knew.

All those posters who are very keen on saying "their country, their rules". Does that apply here in this country? To use just one example, the christian bakers that were in the news for refusing to make a cake for a gay couple - are they to be applauded because after all, "their country, their rules". Why is it so different when it is a 'muslim country'?

TBH i think alcohol should be permanently banned at football games in all counties. There’s no need for it, it causes more violence and grief than it adds to the experience.

Do you say the same to people who are from orher ethnicities coming to western world? That they should respect local culture and abide by it.
I am from ethnic minorities but I dont understand this double standard in the way we accept westerns countries to accommodate as a host country and as visitors but not anyone from middle east.
Noone is forcefully drinking alcohol but in this free world, people have right to moan both about lack of gay rights and beer in the stadium.
And how controlling to say how people should enjoy without alcohol. Then people should also enjoy wedding receptions without need to toast with alcohol. It's not the alcohol but the lack of freedom to choose if you want beer or not. Fifa made a mistake to host this world cup in Qatar but I am glad at least people are learning of the realities of this so called rich, civilized country, where human rights and freedom are very limited.

It's an arsehole move when they've allowed a beer company to plough a LOT of money in sponsorship into it, then pull the plug at the 11th hour.

I think Budweiser are more than justified to feel a bit pissed off about it.

@TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael we’re not a Christian country though. The religious population for Christianity and catholics are dwindling in the U.K. Religion is not part of our government.

Just because people do (and by that I mean people who are perceived as rich foreigners on holiday they bend the rules for as they want your cash) doesn't make it right.
You hear people say "if you come here to the UK you should abide by our rules "..... Well it's a bit no shit Sherlock to think that that it will happen the other way round.

The official religion of the UK is christianity. The majority of people agree (last polled in December 2020). So it is the same thing.

Exactly. When it comes to minority ethnic countries it's "their country, their rules" but when it comes to the UK we're expected to cater to every minority groups demands, even when it goes against our own beliefs or laws (halal meat, for example) and if we don't we're bigoted.

And does "their country, their rules" apply when human rights violations are happening? Are we supposed to not say anything about that either?

Are you fucking serious?

@TheyreOnlyNoodlesMichael a belief in god is usually why people choose Christianity, that doesn’t equate to actually being Christian. It’s guaranteed not everyone who picked Christianity are actually Christian and follow the religion. I put down chatholic on the census because I do believe a god or other higher power exists and my gran was raised religiously. However my mum doesn’t follow the religion, I’ve never had anything to do with it myself, but it was the most convenient option to express my beliefs. A census or poll doesn’t always reflect reality, especially not when we’re all self identifying as whatever we want on them.

Arab countries
Alcohol can be drunk but not as we in the west are used to.
PDAs are prohibited to some degree for everyone. THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS FOR EVERYONE. REPEAT UNTIL IT BECOMES COMMON KNOWLEDGE.

Most people moaning don't even watch fucking football.

We could always go back to Europe to watch coked-up drunken men leather each other and smash cities up instead.

@RedAppleGirl the issue is that what was previously offered has been withdrawn. Nothing to do with drunkenness - unless you approve of unelected theocrat families holding fans and sponsors to ransom at the eleventh hour?

I expect there are some Budweiser lawyers nervously checking the FM clauses in their sponsorship agreements rn. Even I’ve made a mental note to check in future.

Agreed. It's a shame that some countries who demand and receive tolerance (at the very least) of their cultures and beliefs, are sometimes the most opposing of other cultures and beliefs. Bigotry can go both ways

There was an uproar when some EU countries wanted to ban the full burka citing security concerns. What happened to "their country, their rules"

Nobody needs alcohol
God help you if you ever post that on a thread about drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

It is impossible to discuss this properly on here because all people want to do is prattle on about alcohol and how much they personally just can't understand why people neeeeed it. Puritan-net strikes again.

I expect a fair proportion of people in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the like do not willingly or strictly follow the religion, however it is still classed as a Muslim country.

England is a Christian country even if many do not follow the religion. Our King is the head of the Church and defender of the faith(not plural) 🤐

The no alcohol in stadiums should have been the agreement at the outset

No doubt, but then they may have lost out on money from Budweiser and some of the ticket sales, so how much more profitable to act the way they have.
What beats me is that anyone expected any different, or that FIFA - itself mired in corruption - should be able to do anything about it

Then next treat will be "fans" squealing like pigs because they've been arrested for acting like them, but at least the alcohol thing should hopefully mean this being less common

Shall we ban Germany because they murdered Jews and started 2 World wars.
That's not even comparable - that's past history.
People are talking about how a country is right now, today.

Getting the feeling that this thread is full of trolls. The overtly puritanical vibe is very unlike mumsnet, which whilst judgey is generally tolerant.

It's not either or.

RedAppleGirl Germany have attoned for what they did. Qatar and Iran are entirely different.

What are you implying? We only allow world tournaments in countries with the same beliefs and values.