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

Yes so a country is going to change its laws because of a Budweiser contract with football, their country there rules end of.
They can change them when ever they like, dont like it dont go. This thread is hillarious, I cant have my beer waaaaa.

Budweiser was a known sponsor at the time, if they didn't like this then don't bid for the world cup. They will have signed a contract which stipulated that Budweiser would be allowed to sell.

If you have an employment contract would you be happy if they changed it after all their company their rules.

status means you’re given special treatment.

Yeah this ‘sudden’ decision is shit but far more shit is that some people are treated as subhuman

Yes, exactly this, that was my point upthread but you said it better.

You're not supposed to be allowed to drink in the stands at UK football matches

that's because of historical behaviour. In the rest of Europe (at least in Germany) we can.

All the people who can't understand why it is an issue with the "oh waahhh they can't drink beer poor lambs" - yeah. It isn't a simple matter of you can't have beer.

I think it is hilarous and i too am imagining the brown envelopes no travelling in the other direction and that when enough have passed hands, the decision will be back to "you can have 4" when enough have been received.

It should be a wake-up call to any countries/organisations doing deals with Qatar though: be prepared for a unilateral breach of contract when the only option is going to be greasing palms to make it work.

Which is why they should not have been allowed to buy the right to host the World Cup, along with all their abusive practices.

If the contract is with the American vile version of Budweiser then the spectators have had a lucky escape!

Yes, you couldn’t pay me to go to any of those religiously oppressed countries who care not a jot for human rights. Pretty disgusted with Beckham but not surprised, he’s already sold his soul and his kids’ childhoods for fame and riches.

But everyone knows they will do exactly what they like. They pulled all those women off a plane and forced the ones of childbearing age to undergo vaginal examinations in the airport. I think the officials had guns? The Qatari government apologised eventually, but only after the Australian government took them to court.

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/21/australian-women-sue-qatar-airways-over-forced-examinations-at-doha-airport

Fifa are completely corrupt, and I hope Budweiser sue the arse off them. It will be fun to see.

YANBU ofc, their country, their rules.
Doesn't’ mean their rules are good rules or morally sound. See; women, homosexuality, migrant workers…

No alcohol is fine, if that’s your bid for the World Cup. But it wasn’t. And as somebody said it will till be available to those that are deemed wealthy/ high status enough in the boxes.

People don't seem to understand legal contracts. Budweiser have been a sponsor of the World Cup for many years and each time pay circa 112 million dollars to FIFA for the rights.

Qatar put in their tender and bids to host this World Cup alongside many other countries knowing that Budweiser was a contracted sponsor with many legal rights that they agreed to. When Qatar was awarded the World Cup they agreed to Budweiser legally selling their beer in stadiums with conditions in place. This is what Qatar agreed to as part of their agreement in hosting the World Cup.

Now 2 days prior to the tournament kicking off their Royal family have kicked off and want to change the contractual rights of the main sponsor that have been agreed for the past 4 years. Even though they as they host nation agreed to them. What would you think of your employer doing this or another company?

In many ways it's got nothing to do with alcohol, far more to do with legalities.

It's a classic move.

Classic.

And doesn't yet mean there won't be alcohol in the stadium.

Fair points there. Lots of people are in massive denial about for example the levels of modern slavery in UK or conditions of many forreign workers...

Fifa are completely corrupt, and I hope Budweiser sue the arse off them. It will be fun to see.

I'm getting the popcorn ready. Really really hoping it finishes FIFA

Me too.
Hope it’s the end of Beckham too (but OFc he lined up to see the Queen) 🙄

Budweiser is no doubt a long term sponsor of FIFA and pay a lot of money to be able to insert their advertising and sell their products at FIFA events.

FIFA ‘chose’ Qatar to host the World Cup which is clearly incompatible with some of their ad partners products and also incompatible with footballs wider goal to be inclusive of all people including race, sexual orientation. But they ‘chose’ Qatar due to the money and now they have the embarrassing fall out of their sponsors products being banned and a less than welcome attitude towards LBQT+ Fans. That’s before we even get started on the human rights record, slave labour and environmental issues (fans planning to fly from Dubai for matches… ridiculous).

So yes it’s not a shock and you can argue that any fan travelling Qatar was going to face restrictions and need to ‘comply’ but the bigger picture is the absolute sham this World Cup has become. Due to FIFAs greed and incompetence. Unfortunately some countries choose to have laws that are so strict and in my view they are not appropriate hosts of such an event.

@Brefugee me too!

My son lives in Qatar. He goes out drinking every weekend and has a very good social life .
To think you can’t normally drink in Qatar at all is not realistic .

Budweiser and Qatar in court is one where you would hope both sides lost.

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022

6500 deaths since their world cup bid was announced.

Ian Hislop called out Gary Neville wonderfully..

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022

Just read the link, horrendous 😡😓
How anyone would willingly go there is beyond me.
You've no idea if they'd keep you safe.
I certainly wouldn't feel it there.

Oops wrong link

Don't remember people fussing like that about the deaths of workers in russia before wordcup. Few articles and that was it.
1700 just in 2017 (year before worldcup)...
21 on stadiums building sites

To all of the posters suggesting we "respect their culture". Well no. I don't respect any culture, religion, belief system, country and so on that treats women like Qatar does, or treats homosexuals like Qatar does. I also don't respect a country that is so insecure about religious observance that it used draconian laws and punishments to enforce it, whether that be certain types of food or drink.

Yes, if I ended up there, (i'd never choose to go to such a country) I'd observe their laws as a guest in their country, but that is very different to respecting their laws, I hold them in contempt.

No, alcohol at stadiums is not a human right. But its a universally accepted cultural norm at a world cup, that Qatar said it would provide. They've now gone back on this last minute. I suppose thats what you get for awarding it to them in the first place.

Not saying it's all right, before anyone starts, but bit of a double standard there when it comes to the anger at countries for same thing

It’s the Middle East, I wonder why they’re banning alcohol.

Bet Sepp didn’t think of that one!