Alcohol banned from stadiums, streets at 2022 World Cup in Qatar

[Dback Jon]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-stadiums-streets-at-2022-world-cup-in-qatar/


Beer and sports may go hand-in-hand in some parts of the world, but not Qatar, where FIFA plans to stage the 2022 World Cup. Officials in the conservative Middle Eastern country announced on Tuesday it would ban the public consumption of alcohol during the tournament, including on streets, public squares and in the stadiums.

“I am personally against the provision of alcohol in stadiums and public places based on our values and our traditions and our culture,” the secretary-general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Al-Thawadi told Arabic newspaper Al-Sharq.

Al-Thawadi said the country would adhere to its current policies regarding alcohol and allow those who wish to drink to still do so in “specific and faraway places from the public squares.”

 

[Bert]

Who wants to start a flask business with me in Qatar???

 

[cardfaninfl]

They can ban it all they want, but fans won't stop drinking. The danger is in how it will be enforced. Their best option is giving offenders the choice to pour it into the sand. If they actively attempt to arrest, I predict it will be a nightmare.

 

[Lorenzo]

interesting topic. having been there myself before I personally would not think to test their no alcohol policy. they are very strict on enforcement of their laws. at least that is what I was told when I was there...it may have been done to discourage us from getting into any type of trouble. I did not see it first hand though and when I went I traveled with the air force and I did not have a chance to transport alcohol.

 

[Stout]

Can we just strip them of the WC already? This is embarrassing.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Can we just strip them of the WC already? This is embarrassing.

If they were going to do that, they would have done it 2 years ago.

 

[Stout]

If they were going to do that, they would have done it 2 years ago.

Except all this hideous issues keep popping up, including human rights violations, stadium problems, heat prompting them to ask to play in the winter, which the leagues WILL NOT agree to, and, not least, they won't have anywhere near the hotel space to host even the basic ticket holders. Aside from regular red flag problems, I would think they would realize by now it isn't actually possible to hold it there and then.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Except all this hideous issues keep popping up, including human rights violations, stadium problems, heat prompting them to ask to play in the winter, which the leagues WILL NOT agree to, and, not least, they won't have anywhere near the hotel space to host even the basic ticket holders. Aside from regular red flag problems, I would think they would realize by now it isn't actually possible to hold it there and then.

..and again, everything that you have mentioned they already know about and they still haven't cancelled. If they were going to, they had a golden opportunity with Blatter being forced out and they didn't. It isn't going anywhere.

 

[Stout]

..and again, everything that you have mentioned they already know about and they still haven't cancelled. If they were going to, they had a golden opportunity with Blatter being forced out and they didn't. It isn't going anywhere.

I wonder what'll happen, then, when the domestic leagues refuse to stop their seasons? Will it become an African Cup of Nations type of deal, where huge swathes of players are just missing to catch the tourney? It's going to be a nightmare on that topic alone.

 

[Lorenzo]

What I find troubling looking ahead is that you could have the best players boycott if they feel the hosting is not suitable and if their club team situation is not in harmony with their national side. I agree the most alarming red flag is the idea of doing it in the winter.

We did have golfers back out on the olympics due to concerns in Brazil. Obviously different there, but I think FIFA just assumes that the red flags won't matter and the World Cup will go on one way or another.

 

[Lorenzo]

So latest news is every regional Arab nation has severed ties with Qatar due to them supporting terrorism. Even Yemen cut ties. That is bad. How the hell are they going to host a World Cup under these circumstances. FIFA has made a mess of this. Qatar has money to go around and that's all they care about.

 

[Dback Jon]

So latest news is every regional Arab nation has severed ties with Qatar due to them supporting terrorism. Even Yemen cut ties. That is bad. How the hell are they going to host a World Cup under these circumstances. FIFA has made a mess of this. Qatar has money to go around and that's all they care about.

When I saw that this morning the first thing I thought of was this thread and the 2022 WC

 

[Stout]

Yep. With this much time to go, I'm calling it: Qatar won't host a WC.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Yep. With this much time to go, I'm calling it: Qatar won't host a WC.

This will probably be the straw that breaks the camel's back, thankfully. FIFA needed a good excuse to get out of it, and now they can. This will probably mean that the 2026 bid will be pushed to 2022.

 

[Lorenzo]

When I saw that this morning the first thing I thought of was this thread and the 2022 WC

Same here. I may be wrong but was not the UAE supposed to aid Qatar in hosting? Either way this is very bad for Qatar. the USA is in a bad spot because they have alliances with all of those countries. I hate to say it but none of those countries should be hosting a World Cup if they cannot commit to peace and fighting terrorism. I read a story saying that UAE is threatening a social media gag order of Qatari support in their country. Talk about a mess...

 

[Lorenzo]

Yep. With this much time to go, I'm calling it: Qatar won't host a WC.

I hope so. I do want the process to be fair for all countries to host. but there is fair and there is reality. I am trying to think of reasons why Qatar should go forward with it. But I can't think of any.

 

[MadCardDisease]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...2-world-cup-five-arab-nations-fifa/102528308/

 

[Lorenzo]

a british worker died last week at a stadium. more outcries to strip Qatar and move the world cup to England or the USA. don't think it is going to happen...

I also read an article recently I think on BSPN that brought to late that Morocco could overtake the USA/Canada/Mexico 2026 bid.

 

[Lorenzo]

It looks like the FA in England are desperate for FIFA to do an investigation on the 2022 world cup bid. 2026 vote is in a couple of weeks. most of Europe and Africa will probably support the Morroco bid.

 

[Stout]

It looks like the FA in England are desperate for FIFA to do an investigation on the 2022 world cup bid. 2026 vote is in a couple of weeks. most of Europe and Africa will probably support the Morroco bid.

They should, as it's preposterous.

 

[Lorenzo]

They should, as it's preposterous.

yes it is.