Nailed it brah - I got to impress the Sir Jackie Chiles of the world so I'm goign to embrace skepticism of the otherwise well-grounded ideas of exporting skyboxes to Chad as justification for a vanity petrodollar-bukkake in the desert a decade in a half from now. Well played.
LOL. This will be funny. Can you say clash of cultures? Football fans and sharia law = incompatible. halfbreed already alluded to the human rights situation in the middle east, this is one example. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar Aside from all of that, never has a world cup been hosted by a tinier nation, has it? I don't doubt that they have the money to build a modern infrastructure, but this will be an interesting experiment, to say the least.
^ I guess they're just like the USA and I was wrong... won't give others a chance. Do you really need alcohol to enjoy a game? Please respect their laws just like they would if they were to come to the United States of America.
I think they do: It's about the game, and about the culture of the game. If Qatar cannot respect fan culture as it is, they should not have applied. They will have to loosen up their laws. Plus, don't get me started on other details of their "laws", or this will be in the D&D in no time. What do you, SwoLy-D, know about their laws? If you do not know enough, maybe you should not talk like that.
They're in the United States, where laws do allow drinking alcohol at games, etc. Culture doesn't mean getting drunk or allowing alcohol. Don't go there, then, if you don't like their laws. I didn't bring up LAWS, sir. YOU DID. I only know the laws YOU brought up above. Or am I wrong?
As someone who does design for a lot of modular (industrial) construction, I think the modular stadium bit is really cool. It doesn't affect my prediction that Qatar will be wholly unprepared for this, and that it'll be disastrous, but I am very interested in the stadia now.
Umm, I live in Dubai. I don't need the proof. You made the initial claim, you back it up. I understand that it makes sense in your head, but the reality is that Dubai is not much hotter than India or some parts of Iran. It is far more fun than any country in the region such as Saudi/Kuwait/Bahrain/Oman/Yemen/etc, aside from maybe Beirut and Tel Aviv. Also, we never go outside in Dubai unless it's specifically to tan. Basically everything is indoors. This is why the UAE is Vitamin D deficient - yes, the vitamin which you get first and foremost from exposure to sun light. There are beaches everywhere, and there's nothing particularly special about Dubai's beaches. They're quite average actually. In the summer, especially since there's a shopping festival, everyone in the surrounding region pours into the country with their kids, and all residents either go on vacation or to visit their families back home. You may be thinking of Dubai in the early 90's. Nowadays, everything in Dubai is indoors and you don't walk anywhere. You don't ride bikes. Nothing. Why would you give a damn about the temperature if you're going to be in Atlantis or the world's biggest mall or the world's tallest building? Makes no sense. I think you're basing your thought on outdated info or maybe you are just trying to use common sense without knowledge of what Dubai is like or what people do here. Obviously you won't want to believe me, but you can ask around. You will get the same response: residents are gone so the roads are quieter, but the clubs and the malls are packed with tourists.
They already stated that the laws would be loosened. Again, I dont exactly know why you are bantering, or what about. It just seems you like to spew posts all over the forum simply to see your own moniker show up.
I don't know whether the Cup will be a success or not, but Qatar will do whatever they have to, in order for the infrastructure and Stadium construction to be complete and top notch. Don't get me wrong, I'm very disappointed the US didn't win the WC, but other than the things they can't control (weather), Qatar will put together an awesome display.
It will also be interesting to see how Israel will be treated. They have a right like everyone else to compete in and qualify for the world cup, yet, certain arabic nations have in the past discriminated against Israel and refused to play against them, etc. And here is another opinion from Australia for you, Swoly: ------------------ http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/12/03/fifa-disgraces-game-with-farcical-qatar-2022/ FIFA disgraces game with farcical decision on Qatar Going against its own technical committee’s report that said Qatar was not a suitable place to host a World Cup, FIFA exposed its seedy underbelly to the world by awarding the tournament to the tiny Middle Eastern nation. Qatar is a nation of just 1.6 million people, spanning just 11,437 km2 (ranked the 163rd largest country in the world – behind the Falkland Islands), with only one major city (Doha), one airport, a questionable human rights record, and incredibly strict laws relating to alcohol consumption. To think it is suitable place to host the largest sporting event in the world, over the United States of America, Japan, South Korea and Australia, is laughable. And it made their rise to favouritism and subsequent victory in the 2022 World Cup bidding race almost farcical as we watched it unfold. FIFA’s independent technical team, which inspected all bidding countries, reported serious flaws in the Qatari bid; namely the heat of June/July and the size of the country and close proximity of stadiums – 10 of its 12 stadiums are within a 25-kilometre area. “The fact that ten out of the 12 stadiums are located within a 25-30 kilometre radius could represent an operational and logistical challenge,” said FIFA’s report. “The fact that the competition is planned in June/July, the two hottest months of the year in this region, has to be considered as a potential health risk for players, officials, the FIFA family and spectators, and requires precautions to be taken,” it continued. Qatar will need to spend an enormous amount on its promised air-conditioned stadiums and the like, while making some concessions on its strict alcohol laws. It’s said construction of the stadiums will cost around $3 billion, but that figure will skyrocket when the reality of how it is to overcome its shortcomings hits home. So considering these deficiencies, we are left with the obvious question of why Qatar. Well, their political muscle lead, undoubtedly, by Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hammam obviously was a decisive factor, and the rest of the committee was cajoled into voting for them given they scored 11 votes in the first round (nearest rival Korea Republic had four, Australia just one) of 2022 voting. We can never know the wheeling and dealings that went on behind closed doors, but it obviously went against any logical decision on the suitability of hosting a World Cup. This isn’t to totally discount Qatar’s bid. Their presentation in Zurich was strong (one of the strongest) and showed there is more to their bid than dollars. Like Australia and Russia, the Middle East is uncharted water for the World Cup, so President Sepp Blatter had some justification to play up that message (although none of us really believed him). And hopefully the decision brings about a closer and more open relationship between the Middle East/Islamic world and the rest of the world. But in going against their technical committee’s report and showing once and for all that the political games and deals is what counts in such decisions, FIFA have done serious damage to its own reputation. There can be no other reason why Qatar won the bid aside from this geopolitical game, making future bids irrelevant. No matter their suitability and strength, if you don’t have the political backing you have no shot, seems to be the message. FIFA exposed its seedy underbelly, once reserved for the backrooms, to a global audience – and the damage of that decision and the subsequent fallout will have huge consequences for the governing body and the game. One wonders if the financial windfall from a Qatari World Cup is worth that damage. Thankfully the 2018 and 2022 farcical bidding process is over – although the recriminations will continue unabated. How fitting that on the day two World Cups were announced at once, one of the countries allegedly found to have colluded with a bidder in the other race should win (Qatar), while the other missed out by six votes (Spain-Portugal, defeated by Russia in the final round of voting for 2018). It was certainly a dark day for the game. ------------------ And something from England: ----------------- England's failure didn't come as a huge surprise, as the long faces on bid delegates Prince William and David Dein immediately before Big Announcement said more than the contents of any Fifa envelope that isn't full of readies. While the Russian delegation was still celebrating on stage, in no way excitable Sky Sports News presenter Jim White was busily trying to find out where he should be pointing his Big Finger of Blame. Panorama? The Sunday Times? Birmingham and Aston Villa fans? Nice try Jim, but this monument to dignity-free ingratiation was always going to go for the country that would generate the most cash and … oh look, wouldn't you know, the preposterously wealthy human rights- and women-abusing crackling furnace that is Qatar only won the 2022 bid. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/02/the-fiver-england-2018-world-cup
Biased report from a mad country is biased. Where are your news reports from Japan, Korea Republic and USA? Oooo, those would REALLY convince me, mister AroundTheWorld, yessir they would. USA deserves to host it again as much or even MORE than Mexico, but The Rose Bowl won't host it again and Azteca Stadium did. Heck, I was mad Mexico withdrew from contention but I understood why later. Give other countries a chance.
Goes to show how little you are informed on any of this. Israelis have participated in Athletic competitions in Qatar previously. Since you are so fond of Kuwaitis - http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NTMzMDk1OTA0 http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/qatar-would-welcome-israel-in-2022 http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10112009/58/world-cup-qatar-2022-green-lights-israel-booze.html
Interesting article from the Telegraph: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/r...qatar-and-the-world-cup-ready-for-each-other/ Are Qatar and the World Cup ready for each other? Leaving aside England’s woe, it is another amazing triumph for the anglophile Emir of Qatar and his glamorous wife Mozah. But are Qatar and the World Cup ready for each other? If it all comes off, it will be a major breakthrough not only for the Gulf but also for East-West, Muslim/Non-Muslim relations. If not, it could be a disaster. First things first. Will Israel be allowed to play if they qualify? Remember, Israelis and those with Israeli stamps in their passports are banned from nearly all Arab states. Well, yes – the bid’s team have said so (it was pretty much a sine qua non), and Qatar has actually had non-diplomatic, trade relations with Israel in the recent past. Nevertheless, it would be a huge step if a full Israeli team and, presumably, thousands of Israeli supporters were allowed to roam the streets of the Gulf freely. As for the rest, well don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing wrong with Qatari football. It is of course bonkers that scores of football matches are going to be played under air conditioning. But everything about life in these parts suffers this sort of irrationality so that’s just one next step. I’m sure the stadiums will be fantastic. It will all keep the Gulf building frenzy going for another decade or so, by which time we hope that international trade and their own business models will have worked out what to do with all the hotels and apartments that are being built. But it will be either a very different World Cup or a very different Qatar that we see in 12 years. Huge crowds milling about in the streets soaking up the atmosphere? Not if it’s held between June and September, when temperatures are above 100 degrees F or 35 or 40C even in the evenings. A few pints to set you up for the game? Well if you can squeeze into the 5-Star hotel bars. But no drinking in public remember. And no drinking at all if you are a Muslim. They are going to have “fun zones” where alcohol is allowed. Casting aside reminiscences of the “Protest zones” at the Beijing Olympics, how much fun does that sound (in 40C heat)? What about soaking up the atmosphere? Qatar is more relaxed and less sensitive about westerners’ behaviour than other Gulf states, where Dubai for example mixes its general liberalism with the sort of occasional chippiness that leads to rather unnecessary and aggressive arrests of foreigners adjudged to have committed minor breeches of conduct codes (often on little evidence). But then, with its reliance on high finance and oil and gas Qatar hasn’t seen the mass influxes of Dubai. It’s about to – let’s hope the locals are so grateful they feel they can afford to be tolerant of our occasionally loutish ways. And that’s all before you mention the dread word Islamism. Qatar runs hot and cold on this one. It’s definitely liberal – but it has been accused of paying large amounts of money to al-Qaeda as a danegeld, to stop itself being targeted. At least one member of its royal family has supported al-Qaeda embarrassingly in the past. More important, it is host to the leading Sunni scholar Yusef al-Qaradawi, a man who describes himself as moderate on some aspects of theology (which he probably is) but is banned from Britain and the US over others, including his open support for terrorism and suicide bombing in Israel and the occupied territories. That would not be a problem for the World Cup per se, as his liberalism has included active support for dialogue and mixing between different religions, including jews. But the Financial Times notes today that this may be changing. “I was for the possibility of bridging the gap between the east and the west but recently I have changed my mind on this issue, especially since the west wants to impose its values and traditions on us,” it records him saying in a recent sermon. “West is west and east is east. They do not recognise or follow our traditions and customs, so we should not follow theirs.” The World Cup is not now, I suppose, a western “custom” as such. But given that Mr Qaradawi may now be the most important scholar in the muslim world, I wonder if today’s decision might have come at just the wrong time.
In that respect, it actually is, yes. I was thinking the same thing when I read Mathloom's (correct) description of that part of life.
Drinking outside of restaurants and bars will be allowed, it's part of the bid. They've even gone a step further and will shade all regions where football will be shown and air condition them just for people like you to not whine about drinking outdoors. Also, if you gave a damn about human rights, you would see that such exposure would bring further awareness to the world about human rights abuses. It could not possibly make things worse, and it's abundantly clear that this will not be a profitable project.
