In a dramatic u-turn, Qatar, which is hosting FIFA World Cup has banned the sale of beer and other alcoholic beverages at the World Cup stadiums just two days before the mega tournament begins. While football fans from around the world who have made their way to Qatar are left disappointed with the sudden flip by the organisers, several English fans have demanded a refund after this decision.
Many fans have even said that they would not have come to Qatar, had they known about the alcohol ban earlier. The ban at stadiums came into force after the royal family of Qatar reportedly demanded a total ban on the sale of alcohol inside stadiums during the tournament.
Most fans were taken aback by the ban, which came after FIFA had previously assured them that despite the country’s strict alcohol laws, they would be able to purchase it while watching the games. Meanwhile, fans who will be seated in corporate boxes, where tickets cost more than $22,450 each, will be able to enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages.
“Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations, and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters,” FIFA said in its statement.
Statement on beer sales at #WorldCup stadiums 🏟️ on behalf of FIFA and Host Country 🇶🇦: pic.twitter.com/o4IEhboXks
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) November 18, 2022
The sale of Bud Zero, which is Budweiser’s nonalcoholic beer will not be affected and will be available to fans at the World Cup stadiums. Budweiser is one of the official sponsors of the FIFA World Cup.
“Host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful, and pleasant experience for all fans,” according to the FIFA statement. “The tournament organizers appreciate AB InBev’s understanding and ongoing support of our joint commitment to catering for everyone during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” said the tournament’s organizers.
The decision calls into question the tournament’s $75 million sponsorship by Budweiser and is likely to enrage many organisers and attending fans who are already frustrated by the restrictions imposed by Qatar for the World Cup.
Qatar initially eased its alcohol prohibitions in order to allow Budweiser, the World Cup’s exclusive beer distributor since 1986, to sell its products at official Qatar World Cup venues, specifically stadiums and fan zones.
In a now-deleted tweet, Budweiser’s official Twitter account responded to the beer ban and wrote, “Well this is awkward…”
Notably, despite strict controls on its sale and consumption, the Islamic country initially consented to serve alcohol at matches and inside fan zones.
Although Qatar does not completely prohibit visitors from consuming alcohol, but its sale and consumption are strictly regulated. Alcohol is typically only permitted in a few specially licensed hotels and restaurants away from street view.
Qatar, the controversial World Cup host
Qatar hosting the most popular sporting event has attracted criticism since the decision was made in December 2010. The country has been slammed over various issues including human rights violations, slave labour, restrictions for fans, and its position on LGBTQs.
Recently, many Western countries including Germany criticized Qatar over the above-mentioned issues and called for the boycott of the Qatar-hosted World Cup.
HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s Foreign Minister, reacted to the criticism by labeling the opposing countries “arrogant” and “racists”. Speaking to the media, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani accused Germany of ‘double standards’. He also reminded the people that the European countries have no problem with Qatar when it comes to energy partnerships or investments.
In an interview with Sky News, the minister launched an attack against critics, pro-LGBTQ activists, and human rights activists.
HE @MBA_AlThani_ in an interview with @SkyNews :Sports should not never be politicized.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) November 7, 2022
What kind of message they are sending for their own public if they are just criticizing & preaching from a distance? #MOFAQatar #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/n8hBvcuQ01
LGBTQ+ rights aren’t the only problem with Qatar hosting the World Cup, there have been some concerns raised over the use of “slave labour” and poor working conditions in the Gulf state. Thousands have reportedly died while working on the infrastructure for the World Cup due to poor working conditions.
However, the football governing body FIFA, which has banned Russia for the Ukrainian invasion, has chosen to overlook all these human rights abuses. In a recent press statement, FIFA had asked participating teams to focus on the game and not to drag the game into issues of politics and ideology.
