Shifting the goalposts

Let he who is without sin kick the first football in the next Fifa World Cup, says PAUL CATMUR.

Despite many people calling for a boycott of the event, I went to Doha to watch some of the Football World Cup. I realise this could leave me open to a charge of hypocrisy, because I decided to put my love of sport above the way I like my countries to behave. But as it happens, I had a great time, which begs the question of whether I was brainwashed by the Qataris’ charm offensive or I’ve become more understanding of another nation’s behaviour through temporary immersion in their culture. I’ll let you decide.

Sportswashing is the idea that autocratic states set out to gain international acceptance by hosting large sports events. For example, Hitler’s Germany hosted the 1936 Olympics and Putin’s Russia held the 2018 Football World Cup. These events are about ego as much as politics, and many governments are desperate to stage them whether autocratic or not.

Qatar is a state with a history of enforced migrant labour, discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, political practices aimed at subverting the population, and a great love of country music. Oh, hang on, that’s Alabama. Yes, Qatar has its faults, bribing its way to the hosting rights for starters, but would my attendance be legitimising its policies, or helping to expose its population to more liberal-minded people? I like to think the latter is the case.