Qatar World Cup 2022 Generates Unusual Amount of Controversy Well Before the Fact

As the World Cup approaches, there is an unusual amount of negative press surrounding two of the upcoming World Cup host nations.

One would be this year's host, with the tournament that is about to start this coming week, in Brazil.

More on that later this week.

But another is considerably further away - the 2022 World Cup, which for the first time ever, is set to be held in a tiny nation on the Arabian peninsula - Qatar.

Many are beginning to believe that rewarding this tiny nation the World Cup was a huge mistake.

Why?

Because even conservative estimates have the deaths associated with preparations for the big tournament already exceeding 1,000 migrant workers, and this has brought the emphasis on human rights in Qatar, a place where, apparently, these are being ignored more than any other nation that has hosted such a major sporting event.

This has obviously caused considerable damage to FIFA, the international soccer governing body, which rewarded Qatar the 2022 World Cup. Mixed with some of the horror stories coming out of Brazil, as that nation prepares not just for the 2014 World Cup, but also for the 2016 Olympic Games, and you have pressure and controversy against FIFA, and the big money that always surrounds these types of events, like never before.

Of course, a part of me wonders just how much of this actually is about the struggles in these two countries, and how much of it could be the overblown, and instinctively negative, reaction for any games not hosted by wealthy western nations, such as what we saw in Sochi earlier this year, prior to Russia's takeover of Crimea and subsequent involvement in eastern Ukraine, which exacerbated matters considerably.

Yet, the suffering in Brazil right now is severe (again, more on that story later), and the deaths in Qatar are an even grimmer reality so far.

Was it a mistake to reward Qatar the World Cup tournament? Should FIFA use this as a springboard to pressure Qatar on it's rather abysmal looking human rights record? Or, is this after the fact scrutiny far too little, and much too late, underscoring the hypocrisy of a money matters most approach? Should the 2022 World Cup tournament be moved and, if so, where?

In any case, the Qatar story is surprising, since it is still a full eight years away. Already, it has generated more controversy, since it will be held in the summer, and some fear that the days will simply be too hot, posing dangerous conditions for the players and for fans alike.









Here's some more on the controversy surrounding Qatar World Cup 2022:



'Untouchable' FIFA, president Sepp Blatter need to answer for atrocities in Qatar by Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports, May 16, 2014:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/-untouchable--fifa--president-sepp-blatter-responsible-for-atrocities-in-qatar-
171943680.html




Blatter hails proposed labor law changes in Qatar published in Goal.com, May 14, 2014:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blatter-hails-proposed-labor-law-190300050--sow.html