France has joined a growing number of countries in coming up with imaginative protests against Qatar World Cup by banning the screening of matches in several cities.
Lille, Strasbourg and Bordeaux, among other cities, will not set up fan zones or outdoor screens to showcase the games as a protest against Qatar’s ecological and humanitarian crises.
Recently Denmark became the first side participating in this year’s competition to openly protest against the country’s human rights transgressions by launching specially designed kits.
England’s Football Association has also raised its voice against the problems while Norway’s football chief has also criticised the country in the past.
France has now become the latest nation to join protests against holding the World Cup.
“It would be a farce if we were to be complicit with the humanitarian and ecological abuses that are embodied by this World Cup,” Bordeaux mayor Pierre Hurmic said.
“It would be really difficult to have a party while forgetting the dead bodies and the humanitarian situation in the aberration that is the World Cup in Qatar”.
Qatar has faced intense criticism ever since it was awarded the World Cup hosting duties in 2010. Human rights groups have lambasted the wealthy nation over its treatment of migrant workers, who along with other foreigners form the majority of the country’s population.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), organisers of the competition, have continued to dispute claims that “the tournament has cost thousands of people their lives” despite reports that 6,500 South Asian migrants had died in Qatar since 2010 building the stadiums and other amenities.
