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German stadium lights 20,000 candles for Qatar migrant worker fatalities

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022

Reuters

20,000 candles flickered in the stands of a German football stadium on Sunday (November 20) as part of a protest against Qatar’s human rights record, organised by the German labour welfare organisation AWO and artist Volker-Johannes Trieb.

Hundreds of volunteers lit the candles on Germany’s Day of the Dead that also coincides with the start of the World Cup in Qatar.

6,500 footballs filled with sand were also laid out in the stadium, to commemorate the thousands of migrant labourers killed on World Cup construction sites in Qatar, according to an AWO press release.

“There is no exact figure available of those who have died and there probably never will be. I don’t have the words. Slavery that ends in death and grief is disgusting. The games that are starting today have been bought with pain and death. This is the bloodiest World Cup there has ever been,” said artist and protest initiator, Trieb.

Hundreds of volunteers including school pupils spent the day setting up the protest in the stadium at Castle Struenkede in Herne.

According to an AWO press release, more than 15,000 migrant labourers have been killed whilst building Qatar stadiums for the tournament.

“We are here because we want to protest against the World Cup in Qatar and we think it is unacceptable to break human rights like this and that’s why we had to do something,” said one of the unnamed volunteers.

Artist Volker-Johannes Trieb poses for the photographers holding a soccer ball filled with sand and one of a total of 20,000 candles set at stadium Struenkede Castle during the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to commemorate what the event organizers say are deaths of thousands of workers who lost their lives to build the stadiums for the tournament in Qatar, a claim disputed by Qatar, in Herne, Germany,

“It is outrageous that FIFA puts on a World Cup in winter and even though they have known what has been going on there over the last years insisted on sticking to the plan. It’s outrageous!”, another volunteer added.

Sunday’s protest was the second event organised by AWO and Trieb. In April, the group deposited sand-filled footballs outside the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

Qatar, the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup, has come under intense international pressure for its treatment of foreign workers and restrictive social laws on homosexuality and women’s rights.

Disquiet over the country’s human rights record has led to calls for teams and officials to boycott the games at the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 tournament.

Reuters

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Ecuador coast past hapless hosts Qatar in World Cup opener

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022

Reuters

Ecuador eased past World Cup debutants Qatar 2-0 on Sunday (November 20) with two goals from veteran striker Enner Valencia in a first opening game defeat for a host nation in the tournament’s history.

Ecuador’s all-time top scorer, nicknamed “Superman” at home, scored an early penalty and added a well-taken 31st-minute header to give the South Americans a commanding first-half lead as the Qataris looked overcome by the enormity of the occasion.

It could have been even worse for the hosts in front of a 67,372 crowd at the tent-shaped Al Bayt stadium had Valencia, 33, not had a third minute header disallowed for a marginal offside after goalkeeper Saad Alsheeb had flapped at the ball.

It was Alsheeb who later tripped Valencia when he was through on goal and then dived the wrong way as the Ecuadorean coolly dispatched the resulting penalty in the 16th minute.

For his second, Valencia was unmarked but still showed great technique to stoop and take Angelo Preciado’s cross almost from behind him to head past Alsheeb again.

That goal killed the Group A game as a contest and the second half was played at a slow pace, with many Qataris leaving before the end as Ecuador’s fans chanted “Ole!”

Despite an enviously long time to bond and train together, including summer camps in Europe, Qatar looked largely toothless. Almoez Ali had their best chance at the end of the first half, heading wide but then judged offside.

Mohammed Muntari also fired over in the dying minutes.

Both sides now have to play Senegal and the Netherlands in the group stage, with Qatar’s chances of picking up points or qualifying looking slim on this performance.

Ecuador are dreaming of surpassing their best ever previous World Cup showing when they reached the last 16 in 2006.

Reuters

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Opening ceremony gets World Cup underway

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022

THE NATION

The World Cup kicked off in Qatar on Sunday (November 20) with the Muslim nation, which faced a barrage of criticism over its treatment of foreign workers, LGBT rights and social restrictions, staking its reputation on delivering a smooth tournament.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani arrived at the stadium flanked by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, to a roaring crowd, and took their seats alongside other Arab leaders.
 

A show then unfolded on the pitch, featuring American actor Morgan Freeman and a performance of a new tournament song called Dreamers featuring singer Jungkook of K-pop boy band BTS, alongside Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and the presidents of Egypt, Turkey and Algeria, as well as the United Nations Secretary-General, are among leaders at the in a tent-shaped stadium ahead of the first match between the hosts and Ecuador.

General view outside the stadium with fireworks during the opening ceremony
 

Qatar, which has denied accusations of abuse of workers and discrimination, and FIFA hope the spotlight will now turn to action on the pitch. Organisers have also denied allegations of bribery for hosting rights.

Inside Al Bayt Stadium many seats were still vacant with gridlock on the expressway leading to the arena, where cheers went up as Qatar’s team appeared for their opening match.

The soccer tournament, the first held in the Middle East and the most expensive in its history, is a culmination of Qatar’s soft power push, after a 3-1/2 year boycott by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which ended in 2021.

General view during the opening ceremony

THE NATION