Abdulhadi Rashid Alkhayareen
The World Cup is a global cultural celebration for sport and entertainment. Every four years a host country welcomes teams and fans from diverse regions of the world to celebrate teams, countries, and the intricacies of soccer on a global stage. The event generates massive advertisement and tourist revenues for the host country, regardless of region of the world. Visitors entering foreign host countries carry the expectations of respecting the norms, laws, and rituals of the local culture and society during the sporting event.
However, 2022 FIFA World Cup host Qatar faces cultural challenges in safeguarding and promoting local beliefs and norms because of evolving collective values and shifts in beliefs in the global system.
Despite pressure applied to local Qatari citizens, businesses, and government officials, people and communities carry a responsibility to protect key features of the national culture and traditions at all costs without giving in to visitors’ demands. A significant issue shaping the experiences of host citizens, businesses, and government authority is the expressions of LGBTQ+ rights during the global event in Qatar. Qatari government leadership and authority did an admirable and effective job in protecting the values and upholding the law in terms of expressing moral turpitude issues in public.
Western tourists from the United States and Europe are accustomed to openly expressing preferred cultural values and beliefs home and abroad.
Citizens often take for granted their national rights to freedom of expression and speech and assume they transcend global boundaries, regardless of region of the world or government structure.
However, clashing values, customs, and beliefs of visitors with the host country causes tension and misunderstanding, and depending on certain forms of expression, can be deemed illegal.
In a globalized world, how should a host country approach such challenges?
Qatar is a very inclusive country but a conservative one, held together by tradition and closely held values. Personal and private matters like LGBT orientation and activity are not openly displayed or discussed among local Qataris.
In fact, moral turpitude issues and public displays of such relationships and affections are illegal. However, Western fans and tourists visiting the country appear to think it is acceptable to violate these laws and promote their own ethnocentric views of the world.
This is highly inappropriate and insulting to members of the local culture and government officials. Those who violate the laws even in the confines of the soccer arena should expect to be subjected to any punishments and fines under the guidelines of the law. Some national teams and fans from Western countries tried to challenge the norms and values of the country by expressing support for LGBTQ communities by wearing rainbow t-shirts and ‘One Love’ armbands during the tournament. Teams were told they could not wear such symbols on the pitch during matches or face forfeit. Protesting fans showing such expressions on the field were banned from the tournament, with some losing permits to remain in the country. The Qatari government welcomes all fans but attendees must abide by the law to avoid punishment. At times, government officials and security has shown compassion to those supporting LGBTQ by simply escorting fans wearing rainbow t-shirts out of the stadium with no further punishment.
However, Qatari leadership took the right approach in addressing the complex debate surrounding moral issues and flexible stands by upholding the law, discussing tradition, and protecting the norms, history, and expectations of the local culture. In certain cases, officials showed tremendous care and restraint by avoiding harsh prison sentences, which are normally given for such violations.
Are we really in a place where visitors make no effort to abide by local norms and laws? Should processes associated with globalization pressure countries to change collective values, norms, and laws?
There is no easy answer or solution to any of these complex challenges. However, unless government officials deem it appropriate, visitors should obey laws; appreciate local culture and a foreign environment.
People visiting the country from all over the world should enjoy football, soak in the local culture, and make attempts to learn and respect the ways of others, as they expect migrants and visitors when they are in the West.
Abdulhadi Rashid Alkhayareen- Vice Chairman of Ruwais Marine Services, he holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.
Abdulhadi Rashid Alkhayareen- Vice Chairman of Ruwais Marine Services, he holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.
