The World Cup in Qatar Openly Displays Western Hypocrisy

Western morality is good. Western double morality is twice as good

The Football world cup in Qatar has officially begun. Once again, our media floods our screens with euphoria about it. Sure there is a bit of criticism here and there. Yes, there are some minor issues with LGBTQ+ rights. And sure, the occasional migrant worker gave his life for this PR project. But come on. It’s football. The greatest entertainment on the planet. After all, sport is a great unifier of cultures, right? We shouldn’t be up in arms about a few human rights violations.

What is funny is how low-key the western media treats this issue. At least when we compare it with reports about the winter Olympics in Beijing last year. Or in Russia in 2018. Remember the calls for banning Russia and China from ever hosting these games? Every article contained criticism of the Chinese or Russian regimes.

Now. Crickets. Qatar opened the World Cup in style. By bribing Ecuadorian players and officials in exchange for losing the opening match. Nobody calls for barring Qatar from competing in international sports. But they sure did with Russia when their doping scandal hit.

Several western nations boycotted the Olympics in China last winter. Yet the same nations now bow to all of Qatar’s demands. That includes censoring what players can wear. Human rights standards differ. At least when you are a major customer of the western military industry.

The Sparse Criticism of the World Cup Refuses to Touch On Qatar’s Participation in the Genocide in Yemen

There is a good reason for it. If any western mainstream journalist calls out Qatar on this issue, they face a dilemma. They have to admit that western governments back the genocidal, Saudi-led coalition.

And the weapons used to kill Yemeni women and children come from western arms suppliers.

That would ruin the beautiful image of the world cup as a unifying event. And with it the idea that elite sports will promote peace among the nations of this earth.

Maybe it is also easier to turn a blind eye to these matters now. Now that Europe is more than dependent on Qatar to send some extra LNG gas. It’s not like Russia is going to send us any, right? We can’t defend human rights everywhere.

I also want you to pay close attention to what the criticism against the world cup consists of. The biggest issue, according to western journalists is that you can not get a beer. It does not get more ridiculous than that. I guess it is a big issue for westerners since it is such an ingrained part of our culture.

The Issues About the World Cup in Qatar Are Not New

The decision to let Qatar host the world cup smelled of corruption from the beginning. It is also why it is so lame, that mainstream media only starts now to criticize anything about it. As if they suddenly discovered that gay people get tortured and raped. Or that women get prison sentences for reporting rape.

It is also public knowledge, that Qatar abuses migrant workers.

They should have published their articles years ago. Of course, now it is safe for them to do. It is too late to do anything meaningful about, it now that the event has started. This is typical of the so-called human-rights advocates. They only do it, when it is safe to do so. When there are no repercussions from advocating human rights.

What they actually achieve is to enable oligarchs, dictators, and tyrants. Even now, FIFA bows to every demand from the Qatari regime. Like punishing players for wearing armbands that offend the Emir.

If we in the west had any integrity, we would boycott the world cup. But we don’t. The smell of Qatari oil money is too sweet to resist.

Western Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds

To me, this entire ordeal once again shows how western hypocrisy is all-encompassing. There are no bounds to our double morality. Supposed genocide in China against Uighurs? BAD! Genocide against Yemenis? GREAT! Anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Russia? BAD! Torture against LGBTQ+ people in Qatar – FINE!

This is exactly why the western narrative about human values is falling apart. Because it was as flimsy as the crypto market. There is a good reason, why most former colonies stopped believing in the west. We never had moral superiority. We are as morally decayed as all the rest. But at least we can feel good about ourselves, while we watch the finals on our big screens.