ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES – Six years have passed since FIFA awarded Qatar the right to host the 2022 World Cup, and there are now six years left until the first kickoff. The first half dozen years saw allegations of corruption, bribery, and human rights abuses flowing in a seemingly endless…
Full Article QATAR: HALFWAY TO THE GOAL OF THE WORLD CUP
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES- A corruption scandal is still brewing in international soccer, but it’s business as usual for Qatar, and the country’s top priority is making sure their chance to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup goes off without a hitch. Even if it means bumping into a few hitches…
Full Article QATAR: World Cup Flub on Workers’ Rights
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES- Qatar is going on the offensive in the media game. The country wants the world to know that it is keeping the World Cup and is looking to start a rebranding effort. A Washington Post blog item published in May reported that 1,200 migrant workers had died…
Full Article QATAR: Playing Great Offense in the Media
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES- Good PR is hard to obtain for Qatar, and last week it became even more difficult when Qatari security officers arrested a BBC crew reporting on migrant workers. The Prime Minister’s office had invited several media outlets, including the BBC, on an official tour of the new…
Full Article Qatar: Arrested for Trespassing, or Revealing?
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES- The last month has brought a flood of news about the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It’s been a controversial topic ever since FIFA awarded the tournament to Qatar, in part because of the country’s kafala system that critics say lets employers abuse migrant workers. When FIFA announced…
Full Article QATAR: Time to Get Worker’s Rights in Shape