Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist July 2018

CULTURE CONNECT a corruption scandal over its bid for the competition. Post at the Kremlin on 15 July that he hopes to host a wonderful massive reforms undertaken at FIFA to clean house, including tournament that continues on the success of its Russian edition the removal of top ofﬁ cials like former president Sepp Blatter, and, in fact, betters it. Qatar is, indeed, going all out in this it was decided that the 2018 and 2022 events would go ahead regard. It is spending close to $500 million a week to build as planned in Russia and Qatar. the infrastructure needed to host the tournament. However, Qatar has remained in the new for reasons other FIFA, on its part, is trying to expand the 2022 competition than its external quagmires. At home, the Qatari political by having 48 teams participate, instead of the standard 32. establishment has been In the context of Qatar, the heavily criticised by rights FIFA leadership hopes than groups for its abhorrent an expanded format will labour policies that fail allow other Gulf countries to protect the interests to also participate at the of its over 1.3 million event. For FIFA, which migrant labour population, drew fans and world many of whom hail from leaders to a sanctioned Asian countries. Countless Russia, achieving a stories of physical and thaw in the Persian mental abuse, forceful G u l f s t a n d o ff w o u l d employment and captivity help the organization’s - with their passports taken rehabilitation following away, and deplorable work the corruption scandal conditions have emerged, in 2015. However, given over the years, from the tense situation on the the accounts of migrant ground, Qatar has refused labourers in the country. to host an expanded Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, FIFA President Gianni Thus, in the run up to the tournament and share Infantino and President of Russia Valdimir Putin participate in a handover ceremony ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Final between France 2022 tournament, Qatar the stage with its Gulf and Croatia at Kremlin in Moscow, Russia has been compelled to neighbours. improve conditions for the low-paid migrant workers who Regardless of how the Gulf crisis ultimately progresses, are building the stadiums, hotels and roads needed to host it is clear that Qatar will attempt an image makeover with the the grand affair following criticism from both rights groups 2022 edition of the World Cup. As organiser's for the event, as well football federations across the world. Qatar will undoubtedly present the best version of itself to Furthermore, the country's sports television network beIN tourists and fans alike. Media has been pirated on an industrial scale (Qatar blames Football presents a soft power that goes beyond Saudi Arabia for the same), and the football club it owns in boundaries. As in the case of Russia and other host nations France - PSG - stands accused of breaking spending rules before it, the sport can arouse respect and admiration, for when it bought Neymar in the summer of 2017. the World Cup is the ultimate celebration of a game loved This all adds up to Qatar experiencing “soft dis- around the world; the successful execution of the same will empowerment,” or the loss of prestige that countries suffer undoubtedly one a horde of admirers around the world. after mega-events shine a light on a nation’s issues, according Post Qatar, it will be the turn of North America to host the to Simon Chadwick, professor of sports enterprise at the event in 2026. Having presented a 'United' bid, Canada, U.S. Salford Business School in England. “The decision makers and Mexico won the right to jointly host the tournament at in Doha had an idealised view of how this would work,” a recently concluded FIFA vote. Given the ongoing tensions said Chadwick. “They won the rights to the tournament and between the U.S. on one hand and Canada and Mexico on the suddenly everybody would love them.” other, the 'United' bid has become all the more signiﬁ cant. The Thus, as experienced by Russia in the run up to this year's soft power diplomacy that will come to play in this scenario, tournament, Qatar is also likely to face heavy criticism in thus, takes on a whol e new meaning that is not only limited the months leading up to 2022. However, Qatar can take to the three countries' external projection to the world, but delight in the outcome of the just concluded World Cup in also entails the dynamics of their relationship with each other, Russia. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al which may have ramiﬁ cations that go far beyond the world Thani, stated at the ofﬁ cial host nation handover ceremony of football.  Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 7 • July 2018, Noida • 45

Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist July 2018 | Page 45