In another signal of the lunacy of the corruption-tainted choose of Qatar to host the World Cup, the nation’s crew was trounced 0-2 in an embarrassing face-off towards Ecuador on Sunday earlier than greater than 67,000 soccer followers.
It was the primary time within the 92 years of the World Cup’s existence that the host nation’s crew didn't win its opening sport.
The Washington Submit referred to as the soccer match a “manhandling” by Ecuador.
“The Ecuadoran goalkeeper appeared so untroubled that somebody ought to have gotten him a chair, just a little cafe desk and a nonalcoholic beer,” the Submit quipped. (All alcohol was banned within the stadiums on the final minute within the Muslim nation, aside from the rich, who can guzzle no matter they need of their luxurious stadium suites.)
A Guardian sports activities columnist famous that Qatar’s crew was not solely unhealthy amongst internet hosting nations over time, it was the worst host crew by miles.
And in yet one more kick, whereas Qatar cash “purchased the World Cup,” it couldn’t purchase the loyalty of Qatari followers who left the stadium in droves when their crew started to lose, famous ESPN.
International locations chosen to be World Cup hosts usually have a formidable historical past of soccer. However Qatar was picked in 2010 after an enormous bribe scandal involving officers of the world soccer governing physique FIFA. Not solely did it not have a soccer legacy, Qatar had no international-level stadiums. It was additionally infamous for egregious human rights violations, together with exploiting migrant labor, and harshly limiting the rights of girls and the LGBTQ group within the nation, the place homosexuality is unlawful.
Qatar constructed the stadiums it wanted, and 1000's of migrants died within the nation’s excessive warmth and building accidents constructing them.
The Occasions of London has referred to as Qatar’s World Cup seize the “greatest sportswashing coup” in historical past, referring to nations that host sporting occasions to distract from their human rights information.
In a weird speech Saturday, FIFA head Gianni Infantino defended Qatar’s human rights document, and referred to as Europeans hypocrites for complaining about it. He indicated he knew simply how the oppressed in Qatar felt as a result of he had been bullied as a boy — in Switzerland — for having crimson hair and freckles.
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