Sports and politics have always gone together, especially when the event is as global as the world cup. While most people believe in football’s reforming power in terms of human rights, diversity, and unity, there is a long-known problematic duo revolving around the structure of FIFA: corruption and conspiracy. The implications for the diplomatic world might be far more significant than expected. 

With Qatar hosting more than 1.4 million football fans in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, it is as if the world is shifting towards a new epicentre of global and financial power, the Middle East. [1,2] It comes as no surprise after the well-known English team Manchester City was bought by a United Arab Emirates-led group or after Newcastle United was bought by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium. [3] The sudden interest of the Middle East in the close-knit football community can be justified—Qatar had never qualified for the World Cup finals after all—but what made the mainly Europe-dominated sport admit such foreign influence?

Indeed, it is a matter of diplomacy. Qatar spent hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure for the tournament, more than all previous countries combined, to prove its wealth and attract global attention. [4] It is also the first country in the Middle East to host the World Cup. It represents not only itself but also countries in the region as a whole. [5] Football is perhaps one of the few sports that has this uniting power over the Arab world, and unity certainly seems like a noble goal. Yet two questions remain: why was Qatar chosen to host and is there a clash between the progressive West and the conservative Middle East in such a decision?

Women

To the Western world gender equality has been an issue for centuries, but in the Muslim reality of Qatar, women only got the right to vote in 1999. [6] That is not even the whole story—women in Qatar are still required under Sharia law to ask for permission to go anywhere or to work from their male guardian, usually a father, brother, or husband. [7] Perhaps it is simply part of their culture, and the Western world ought to respect that. This should not be a problem for foreign women, who are allowed to watch the World Cup, but it might be a question of moral principles rather than respecting the host country. There is a thin line between the two that is mitigated by diplomacy. 

Why would this be even an issue for the majority of football fans, when law in Qatar does not even prohibit men and women to stay together in a hotel? In order to obtain a visa, foreign nationals must have a similar male guardian as much as Qatar claims that women’s access to the World Cup will not be restricted. [8] To that end, the Qatar World Cup CEO Nassar al Khater said that “In Qatar, we have no restrictions on women’s access to stadiums. They have been attending matches for a long time.” According to him, there were even three female referees moderating the games. [9] The most obvious conclusion is that a clash between cultures is unavoidable—the religious law that binds the Middle East might seem oppressive to the Western mind, but it is only through understanding from both sides that events like the World Cup are possible—and progress for that matter.

Homosexuality

At the same time, homosexuality is illegal in Qatar—and can even lead to a death sentence. [10] On that matter, a former Qatari football player Khalid Salman in an interview claimed that homosexuality is forbidden because “it is damage to the mind,” and the interview was stopped right after by an official representative. [11] Allegedly, no football fan would be discriminated against during the World Cup, but Labour MP Luke Pollard asked for an official apology on behalf of the Qatari government for oppressing the expression of homosexuality; [12] this came as a response to foreign secretary James Cleverly asking for mutual respect on both ends. [13] That is not to say that either side is correct, but this is a clear situation when football is most of all about making a point, political or otherwise. In a similar manner, the captains of prominent football teams stood up in order to make a point—the importance of diversity and inclusion:

“The captains of England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland had intended to wear the OneLove rainbow armband to promote diversity and inclusion at the World Cup.” [14]

But this did not happen, right after FIFA announced that players who wear these bands would be penalised. [15] At this point, the issue revolves around human rights—whether it is about discrimination towards women before the law and practice or towards members of the LGBTQ+ community, who “can be arrested, imprisoned, and even sentenced to death if they take part in same-sex sexual activity.” [16] Football is about unity now more than ever and stands for values well-supported by leading diplomatic organisations and activists: respect for diversity, inclusion, and humanity. However, just like anything else, it is not as simple and as idealistic as that. 

Immigrant Workers

More than any other World Cup, the 2022 Qatar was about human rights or perhaps the violation thereof. Considering the high temperatures in the host country during summer, the World Cup had to be rescheduled to the winter months. This was particularly controversial since it interfered with top European club schedules and leagues. [17] This meant the massive infrastructure that had to be built was constructed entirely in summer during the extreme weather conditions of the predominantly desert nation—it led to significant health consequences for the immigrant workers that were hired for the construction of seven stadiums and hotels (highest FIFA standards). [18] Taken to the extreme, thousands of workers have died in the construction process due to poor living conditions, lack of sanitation, exhaustion, droughts, and work hazard. [19]

“Human Rights Watch, for instance, highlighted abuses among South Asian workers in Qatar as the World Cup opened. The State Department, in its latest human rights report, cited ongoing illegal forced labor in Qatar and noted construction at “FIFA World Cup-related facilities continued despite crowded worksites and the high risk of COVID-19 transmission.” CNN has not independently confirmed previous reports that thousands of migrant workers have died in Qatar since it was awarded the World Cup in 2010.” [20]

While Qatar wants to attract global attention to the region and gain from tourism in the future, basic human rights of the immigrant workers have not been met, and there is nothing FIFA can do about it despite its constant monitoring. The project cannot be finished without an enormous amount of work, and it is simply difficult to provide living conditions for so many workers; in FIFA’s perspective, there is also no way to move the World Cup to another country in time, and Qatar has already invested the money, so why bother? The immigrant workers have no other place to go and are required to stay under a contract until the construction is finished; [21] their salary oftentimes cannot even cover the rent they are required to pay for a place that is in no way suited for inhabitation—thus, many workers became indebted to Qatar. [22]

Why Qatar?

Perhaps Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup for no other reason other than the 220 billion dollars they promised to invest. [23] But Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, in his speech after Qatar was chosen thanked everyone for believing in change. [24] Diversity might be good for the future of football, which continues to be Europe-centred—it is a sport for everyone after all regardless of their background. It is a sport of opportunities and political reform even if it is nothing more than a tangent to the diplomatic world. 

“For instance, Iranian players declined to sing their national anthem in their opening game against England on Monday, in a possible protest about the violent suppression of dissent rocking the Islamic Republic.” [25]

Or let’s think about political statements made otherwise by FIFA president Gianni Infantino about the hypocrisy of ex-colonialist European nations: “Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker.” [26]

The global scale of football, global interest and investment simply cannot make the sport impartial to politics and diplomacy—why haven’t Turkey and China been able to qualify for the World Cup in more than two decades even though they have certainly tried? [27]

Qatar is one such nation that has tried to break the norm, to enter the otherwise exclusive world of European football—it has tried to promote itself and the region in the process just to realise their goal through immoral means. 

REFERENCES

[1]  “Qatar Hosts More than 1.4 Million Visitors during FIFA World CupTM | Qatar 2022TM.” Qatar 2022, https://www.qatar2022.qa/en/news/qatar-hosts-more-than-one-million-visitors-during-fifa-world-cup#:~:text=More%20than%201.4%20million%20fans,FIFA%20World%20Cup%202022%E2%84%A2. Accessed 8 Jan. 2023.
[2]  Collinson, Stephen. “How Politics in the World Cup Explain the Modern World | CNN.” CNN, CNN, 23 Nov. 2022, https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/23/world/world-cup-politics-modern-world-analysis/index.html.
[3] Collinson  
[4] “Qatar 2022: Controversy, Corruption, and the Cup | VideoLab | ABC News.” YouTube, YouTube, 28 Oct. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N240i1DZwso.
[5] ABC News
[6] Howse, Imogen. “Qatar Human Rights: 2022 World Cup Host’s Record Explained – How Women, LGBTQ+ People and Migrants Are Treated.” National Wide, National Wide, 20 Nov. 2022, https://www.nationalworld.com/sport/football/world-cup/qatar-human-rights-record-explained-2022-world-cup-women-lgbtq-people-migrants-3924038.
[7] Howse
[8] Howse
[9] Howse
[10] Howse
[11] “Qatar World Cup Ambassador Says Homosexuality Is ‘damage in the Mind’ | Reuters.” Reuters, Reuters, 8 Nov. 2022, https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/qatar-world-cup-ambassador-says-homosexuality-is-damage-mind-2022-11-08/.
[12] Howse
[13] Howse
[14]  Knox, Olivier, and Caroline Anders. “At the World Cup, Politics Shares the Spotlight with the Matches – The Washington Post.” Washington Post, The Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/22/world-cup-politics-shares-spotlight-with-matches/.
[15] Knox and Anders
[16] Howse
[17] Howse
[18] ABC News
[19] ABC News
[20] Collinson
[21]  Pattisson, Pete. “Migrant Workers in Qatar Left in Debt after Being Ordered Home before World Cup Starts | Qatar | The Guardian.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 22 Sept. 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/sep/22/migrant-workers-in-qatar-left-in-debt-after-being-ordered-home-before-world-cup-starts.
[22] Pattisson
[23] ABC News
[24] ABC News
[25] Collinson
[26] Collinson
[27]  FP Contributors. “The Geopolitics of the World Cup, Past and Present.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 20 Nov. 2022, https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/11/20/fifa-world-cup-2022-qatar-soccer-tournament-geopolitics/.

An Unconventional Approach to US & UN Involvement in Afghanistan

Kabul, Afghanistan. History repeats itself as on a normal school day, girls are sent back home until further notice under the most recent Taliban policies. Taliban officials justify this decision before the UN and the global community as “a technical issue of deciding on a form of school uniform for girls” [1] or “[a matter of] providing transport and other facilities that are required for a safer and better educational environment.” [2] Yet the world remains in distress, for how could preventing girls from their right to education ever be justified…

Following the most recent events, an additional million girls were banned from middle school after the Taliban retook effective control of Afghanistan, resulting in a total of more than four million women without access to education in the country. [3] Balance in gender roles is already resetting to previous norms as parents seek to marry off their teenage girls to men who can financially support them rather than provide for their daughters’ education. It is parents’ goal to reinstall women’s “dignity, rights, and status at home.” [4] These circumstances would essentially backfire—if women can in no way participate in social and governmental institutions, half of the population is simply absent from decision-making.

The reaction: Reaction of the international community or lack thereof

Days after the closure of schools for girls above sixth grade, dozens of girls took to the streets of Kabul in protest. [5] “Education is our fundamental right, not a political plan,” banners claimed. [6] But perhaps these girls were expecting a more profound reaction from the international community rather than weak condemnation; the US cancelled a meeting in Qatar with Taliban leaders concerning key economic issues, yet this small act of protest led to nothing. [7] The UN Security Council keeps discussing whether it is high time to get involved. [8]

Multiple women’s rights activists have spoken before the UN, highlighting just how devastating the situation is. Fawzia Koofi, former Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, had an even greater emotional impact: “people of Afghanistan feel betrayed because the world is still not vocal about the current gender apartheid in Afghanistan under the Taliban.” [9] To that extent, activists consistently speak up over the years but are not heard. Women are not silent—they are silenced.

The history: US as global police

Perhaps no change can be achieved without the mingling of the international community within the internal affairs of Afghanistan. A natural question arises of what the US—the leading global power—can do to aid it. During the Cold War, its position was clear: a defender of humanity worldwide even if that meant overwhelming military involvement abroad. Henry Kissinger as a young soldier in the 1950s paints in a romantic light the US as an emerging force on the international stage: “a large, permanent peacetime military force to police distant lands,” [10] for at that time in American foreign policy there was a clear ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy.’ This can’t be said in the modern world, where foreign affairs are so nuanced. The US itself has changed since the Cold War. With Biden’s presidency came the decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan as if their mission was already accomplished. Biden himself said on August 31, 2021: “No nation — no nation has ever done anything like it in all of history. Only the United States had the capacity and the will and the ability to do it, and we did it today.” [11]

The US president depicts his administration’s policy in a typical saviour light, but it could be said that this framing completely ignores the negative consequences of the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan—the ban on education for women, to name one. Female literacy had reached 30% when the US was involved [12]; it is impossible to avoid the question of what will happen to literacy rates once the US has left Afghanistan. This sudden decision to stop acting as global police did more harm than good for marginalized communities, who face the greatest threat from the Taliban after decades of depending on US intervention and control. It made women in Afghanistan invisible.

On November 16, 2001, Laura Bush herself warned on national radio of “the severe repression against women in Afghanistan.” [13] While this concern is almost heroic, it fails to acknowledge the true varied needs of Afghan women. Fighting for their dignity—as far as the Bush administration describes it—means nothing more than women abroad being mere “symbols and pawns.” [14] The claim of Laura Bush and the approach to women of the Bush administration as a whole is based on misrepresentation of Afghan women. This is what makes them invisible, not just the Taliban policies. While it is certainly unrealistic to think that women will suddenly speak up under such a repressive regime, it would help to have local reporters listen to the true needs and fears of these women.

The solution: potential UN involvement

Is there a solution to such high-end threats to diplomatic relations and civil rights to begin with? For certainly the U.S. decision is justifiable—one nation cannot and should not be responsible for all global issues; it must be a collective effort before all else. The UN’s involvement in Afghanistan seems to be surprisingly meagre. Apart from public remarks, on-site action seems to be deficient.

September 18, 2022 marked a year since the ban on middle-school education for Afghan girls took place, and indeed the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the issue in a grave manner: “A year of lost knowledge and opportunity that they will never get back. Girls belong in school. The Taliban must let them back in.” [15] Nevertheless, an unaddressed potential remains; UN organs must ensure dialogue continues between Taliban and local scholars so that the former understand the importance of having both sexes in schools. The fact that the Taliban follow their own interpretation of Islam does not help, but the UN must facilitate dialogue from within by giving organisations and activists the chance to speak up. This will essentially lead to internal distress in addition to the fact that it is inevitable to ‘live long and prosper’ with half the population excluded from schools.

Can the Taliban refuse the UN-facilitated dialogue on a local level? Certainly, it seems like they have autonomy in their own country, but the UN has more influence than expected. Alongside travel bans, sanctions, and weapons embargoes imposed on the Taliban by the UN before 2001, there is a true risk of international isolation. [16] In 2019 Taliban leaders were exempt from the travel ban in order to promote peace and diplomacy abroad, but there is nothing to indicate they made such attempts. Following this, Ireland opposed these exemptions, supported by at least two other countries in the UN Security Council that wished to remain anonymous; China and Russia disagreed with Ireland, claiming that it is crucial for the Taliban to continue travelling to Beijing and Moscow. Should the UN reach a conclusion on travel bans for the Taliban, international isolation for Afghanistan will become a real issue and the Taliban will not be able to refuse local dialogues with scholars and activists facilitated by the UN.

The end: Taliban contradictions

In continuation of the flaws in Taliban policies that have already been stated, there seems to be no internal coherence between their officials, which leads to a serious discrepancy in public claims made. Otherwise said, Taliban leaders contradict one another. For instance, Mohammad Tariq, an administrator at a private school in Kabul, said for the New York Times: “Change will come in the books, in the Islamic books. Certain subjects will be eliminated for girls: engineering, government studies, cooking, vocational education. The main subjects will remain.” [17] This statement was later contradicted by Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman and Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, who denied that any specific subjects would be removed from schools’ curriculum. [18] So the real question is how long this government can sustain itself if women are excluded from all essential positions and higher education; there seems to be great imbalance between the leaders, inaccuracy in public claims, and contradictions between what the Taliban say and do. If this pace is maintained, they will not be able to keep the facade of strength before the rest of the world; nevertheless, how can the world help? Is there really something it can do?

By staying engaged with the matter, the international community should not allow a minute of rest for the Taliban; constant pressure by the global community will inevitably ensure women’s access to education. It can be said that the logistics of the Taliban policy on women’s access to education will not hold for long; the decision that men will no longer be permitted to teach women [19] is in reality difficult to implement and more disadvantageous—diversity in education ensures progress, however difficult this may be to approach and resolve. It once again proves the point that only a collective power can influence the turn of events, but the delicacy of the situation must also be considered—therefore, the best action would be undertaken by the UN, facilitating dialogue on a local level.

References

[1] Qazizai, Fazelminallah, and Diaa Hadid. “Taliban Reverses Decision, barring Afghan Girls from Attending School beyond 6th Grade.” NPR, NPR, 23 Mar. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/03/23/1088202759/taliban-afghanistan-girls-school.

[2] Blue, Victor J., and David Zucchino. “A Harsh New Reality for Afghan Women and Girls in Taliban-Run Schools.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/world/asia/afghan-girls-schools-taliban.html.

[3] “Afghanistan | Malala Fund.” Malala Fund, https://malala.org/countries/afghanistan#:~:text=Afghanistan%20is%20the%20only%20country,girls%20from%20attending%20secondary%20school. Accessed 24 Oct. 2022.

[4] Ahmadi, Belquis. “Taliban’s Ban on Girls’ Education in Afghanistan | United States Institute of Peace.” United States Institute of Peace, https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/04/talibans-ban-girls-education-afghanistan. Accessed 24 Oct. 2022.

[5] Al Jazeera. “Afghan Girls Stage Protest, Demand Taliban Reopen Schools | Taliban News | Al Jazeera.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 26 Mar. 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/26/afghan-girls-protest-demanding-taliban-to-reopen-schools.

[6] Al Jazeera. “Afghan Girls Stage Protest, Demand Taliban Reopen Schools | Taliban News | Al Jazeera.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 26 Mar. 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/26/afghan-girls-protest-demanding-taliban-to-reopen-schools.

[7] Greenfield, Charlotte, and Jonathan Landay. “Exclusive: U.S. Cancels Talks with Taliban over U-Turn on Girls’ Education | Reuters.” Reuters, Reuters, 27 Mar. 2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/exclusive-us-officials-cancel-talks-with-taliban-over-bar-girls-education-state-2022-03-25/.

[8] “The Situation in Afghanistan – Security Council, 9137th Meeting | UN Web TV.” UN Web TV, 2022, https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1l/k1lilgb3lk.

[9] “The Situation in Afghanistan – Security Council, 9137th Meeting | UN Web TV.” UN Web TV, 2022, https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1l/k1lilgb3lk.

[10] “Henry Kissinger and American Foreign Policy | AP US History Study Guide from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, https://ap.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/seventies/essays/henry-kissinger-and-american-foreign-policy. Accessed 24 Oct. 2022.

[11] The White House. “Remarks by President Biden on the End of the War in Afghanistan – The White House.” The White House, 31 Aug. 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/08/31/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-end-of-the-war-in-afghanistan/.

[12] UNESCO. “UNESCO Stands with All Afghans to Ensure Youth and Adults in Afghanistan, Especially Women and Girls, Achieve Literacy and Numeracy by 2030 | UNESCO.” UNESCO, https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-stands-all-afghans-ensure-youth-and-adults-afghanistan-especially-women-and-girls-achieve. Accessed 4 Dec. 2022.

[13] Berry, Kim. “THE SYMBOLIC USE OF AFGHAN WOMEN IN THE WAR ON TERROR.” Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, vol. 27, no. 2, 2003, pp. 137–60. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23524156. Accessed 9 Dec. 2022.

[14] Berry, Kim. “THE SYMBOLIC USE OF AFGHAN WOMEN IN THE WAR ON TERROR.” Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, vol. 27, no. 2, 2003, pp. 137–60. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23524156. Accessed 9 Dec. 2022.

[15] “Afghanistan: UN Repeats Call for Taliban to Allow Girls Full Access to School | | 1UN News.” UN News, 19 Sept. 2022, https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1126991.

[16] O’Donnell, Lynne. “A U.N. Travel Ban Could Bring the Taliban to Heel.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 18 Aug. 2022, https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/08/18/taliban-afghanistan-united-nations-travel-ban-terrorism/.

[17] Blue, Victor J., and David Zucchino. “A Harsh New Reality for Afghan Women and Girls in Taliban-Run Schools.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/world/asia/afghan-girls-schools-taliban.html.

[18] Blue, Victor J., and David Zucchino. “A Harsh New Reality for Afghan Women and Girls in Taliban-Run Schools.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/world/asia/afghan-girls-schools-taliban.html.

[19] Blue, Victor J., and David Zucchino. “A Harsh New Reality for Afghan Women and Girls in Taliban-Run Schools.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/20/world/asia/afghan-girls-schools-taliban.html.