Criticism of “I was washed again by Qatar, who oppressed human rights”
Qatari Queen (Emir) Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani dressed Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) on the stage for the World Cup Qatar 2022 on the 19th (Korea time) in Arabic dress. Comments are emerging.
Sports washing refers to the act of washing the image by using the spirit of sport and the excitement of the game to cover up wrongdoings such as human rights violations. Criticism that this uniform covers the meaning of the sweaty uniform of the players in the table where Qatar, which considers the human rights of migrant workers, sexual minorities, and women as insignificant, uses the hosting of this World Cup to weaken the image of the country. The British Daily Guardian noted on the 19th that this had been raised.
According to The Guardian and The Telegraph, the black outfit that Al Thani gave to Messi is a traditional Arab outfit called ‘bisht’. A bisit is a dress worn by a person of high status, such as a king or priest, as a formal dress.
As a result, the reactions of the Arab world and Europe are completely different. On social media in the Arab world, it was reported that the general reaction was that it was commendable to award the leaflet as a sign of respect. As it is a recognition of power and authority, it is evaluated that no act shows so much respect. On the other hand, in the West, the eyes are perceived as not good.
Football legend and BBC presenter Gary Lineker said it was a “shame” that Visit had featured Messi’s national team shirt. The Telegraph gave a harsher assessment, saying, “It’s a strange act that ruined a great moment in World Cup history.” He then noted, “It is commendable that the B-Sit has been awarded as a symbol of respect, but the time and place must be chosen.”
It is noted that if Messi wanted to celebrate winning the World Cup after 36 years and finally holding the trophy he so desperately wanted, he should have respected the culture of the winning country by revealing his sweaty outfit. The newspaper also added, “After Messi wore the Visit, he was at first confused and at a loss for what to do.” In fact, Messi later removed this outfit and wore a dress to hold a separate ceremony. It may not be a big problem, but it is clear that Qatar’s image of human rights oppression is paying lip service. Qatar must also be fierce. It is not true that all is forgiven and acknowledged just because the competition has been successfully completed.
Senior Correspondent Lim Byung-son
