FIFA World Cup 2022 Recap: Surprises & Controversies

Julian Finney/Getty

Lionel Messi of Argentina raises the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 winners trophy.

After a month of football, the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2022 in Qatar has come to an end Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw. Record numbers of fans were expected to watch the thrilling final at the Lusail Stadium, just outside the Qatari capital Doha.

The tournament presented a hard-fought group stageelevated global representation in the knockout rounds, dramatic upsets and outstanding individual achievements – highlighted by Argentina’s great Lionel Messi and France’s rising superstar Kylian Mbappé.

From the moment FIFA announced Qatar as the host of the 2022 World Cup in 2010, the event has been plagued by non-sporting controversy. In addition to Bribery allegations against FIFA officialsquestions have been asked about the suitability of a small nation with limited football history or infrastructure Hosting the World Cup.

Qatar’s choice became even more complicated hot summer of the desert nation which made planning the event in its normal June-July time frame impractical – which necessitated it move to November-Decemberwhich European football associations saw as disruptive to their regular fixture schedules.

Politics & Sports

Logistical issues aside, the 2022 World Cup will also be remembered as one of the most politically questioned sporting events in recent memory. A selection of global politics that overlaps with the World Cup includes:

human rights criticism

Human rights groups have criticized Qatar’s Laws prohibiting homosexuality and be bad treatment of migrant workers. Millions of migrant workers live in Qatar, of which an estimated one million are employed in the construction industry.

according to a reported by The guard6,500 of these migrant workers – mostly from South Asia – have died in Qatar in the years since FIFA decided to award the country the World Cup.

Qatari authorities have appealed The Guardians Report claiming migrant worker deaths are in line with expected death rates. And the officials also highlight the legacy that the World Cup Qatar will leave behind, including modernization Infrastructure for a diversified economy and social progress, including labor reformsto better protect vulnerable migrant workers.

During the event’s opening ceremony, American actor Morgan Freeman also appeared on the field Ghanim al-Muftah – a young Qatari social media celebrity who was born with a lower spine impairment – ​​around the world as “a big tribe.” Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani welcomed the world to his nation and urged people to “put aside what separates them” and engage in “human and civilized communication.”

Qatar’s leader’s soft tone contrasted with the FIFA President’s Gianni Infantino’s angry hour-long speech challenge the hypocrisy of the West and ask Europe to apologize for its human rights abuses for the next 3,000 years.

Throughout the tournament was our project Emphasizing this intersection of world politics and World Cup. Every game tells a story about international affairs – sometimes directly through football, sometimes on the sidelines. But the reality is that sport always takes place at certain times and places, and the political dimension cannot be ignored or brushed aside, despite pleas from gatekeepers like FIFA want to improve the world during appears to be keeping to the political sidelines.

Dissenting opinions

After the tournament is over, the evaluations begin: Was it a success beyond the sport? The answer is – it’s complicated. Qatar’s defenders as hosts are likely to point to the nation’s durability infrastructure improvements and employment of high technology sustainability practices; the importance of bringing the World Cup in the Middle East and build cultural bridges through a peaceful sporting event; and the opportunity for Qatar to showcase its modern identity.

Critics will point to the treatment of migrant workers the estimated price of 200 billion US dollars and the sportswear of Qatar’s image.

To capture these different perspectives on the intersection of sport and politics, Tim Elcombe created the REI/BCI continuum. One can look at Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup from a positive perspective: an opportunity for Qatar to develop meaningful resources (R), engage the world in productive dialogue (E), and show the world Qatar’s identity (I).

At the same time, a negative view of the 2022 World Cup host would emphasize the waste of resources (and loss of lives) to put on a four-week “show” (bread and circus) to wash its image through sport (BKI).

Whichever perspective prevails, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a reminder that sport is complex and tense – both on and off the pitch.

Tim Elcombe, Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Physical Education; Fellow, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University; Alanna HarmanAssistant Professor, Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier Universityand Alun HartmannSenior Lecturer and Associate Dean, International, Cardiff Metropolitan University

This article is republished by The conversation under a Creative Commons license. read this original article.