Qatar regrets "racist" criticism of the country based on "prejudice and stereotypes"

MADRID, 19 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The secretary general of the 2022 World Cup organizing committee, Hassan Al Thawadi, has described as "regrettable" the wave of criticism of Qatar, according to him of a "racist" tint and based on "prejudices and stereotypes" about the Arab world, and hopes that the appointment can "serve as a platform to build a bridge between East and West".

"This World Cup is probably the most written about and talked about, even before a ball has been thrown. It is very unfortunate that much of this commentary has veered towards embracing misinformation, rejecting nuance and depth. , often relying on racist tropes based on longstanding prejudices and stereotypes about the Middle East and the Arab world," he said in a statement released on Saturday.

However, he assures that they do not shy away from "constructive criticism". "We are directly engaged and consider every word. We have ensured that this tournament is a beacon of progress, contributing to our country's internationally recognized labor reforms," ​​he said. "Our vision for this tournament was that it should serve as a platform to build a bridge between East and West, acknowledging our differences and celebrating our common humanity through the passion that ultimately unites us: football," he added.

In this sense, he stressed that the "beauty" of the World Cup is "that it attracts people from all corners of the earth, from all professions and social conditions", and leaves "a legacy of friendship and understanding that puts an end to misunderstandings, prejudices and stereotypes.

"This is very important for the 450 million people in our region who live and breathe football. Our peoples are united by history, language, culture and religions. Different countries maintain their own subtleties. What is It is indisputable that, from Algeria to Qatar, football is our common passion.Since 1930, we have witnessed the making of history on all continents during the World Cup.And this time, it is up to us that history is believed in our land," he continued.

"Despite those who believe that Qatar and the Arab world are unfit or unworthy to host, the facts suggest that people disagree: 97% of tickets are sold. The UK is in the top five markets for those sales," he continued.

In addition, he assured that they are "proud" of who they are and of their values, that they defend "openness, dialogue between peoples and the union of people." "On Sunday night, in Khor, a historic moment in the Arab world will go down in history, when Qatar and Ecuador open the World Cup. The opening ceremony and the kick-off will put an end to a long and, to times, arduous journey of 12 years since we were granted the right to host the world's biggest event for the first time in our region," he concluded.