Qatar’s austere form of Islam under scrutiny from the press as World Cup kicks off
by Ruth Peacock, Religion Media Centre:
The World Cup has opened in Qatar, the first Muslim-led country to host this event. Journalist Amardeep Bassey, who has trained journalists preparing to cover the tournament, says it has been mired in controversy from the start with allegations of corruption. Questions remain over how this small country, which has no history of football, or any kind of sporting history managed to land this massive event. Qatar is a traditional conservative society built on a Bedouin culture, following a version of Salafism, an austere puritanical version of Islam, he explains. And its record on human rights against LGBTQ+ people, the role of women, a surveillance state and punishments against free speech is reported upon as much as the actual game. The criticism has led to accusations of racism and Islamophobia, as it has been more intense than, for example, against Russia or Brazil where favelas were pulled down to build the stadiums.
While for many journalists reporting the games is the priority, Amardeep Bassey explains that ordinary Qataris have been waiting years for this moment, when the western press descends on their country and — they hope — report on the issues that restrict and curtail their freedoms. Read our report here. Listen to Amardeep on our podcast here.
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