Take the vuvuzelas out of the drawer, spread the flags on the balconies and get ready! At the end of the year, the biggest global sporting event will begin: the FIFA World Cup. This year, the host country will be Qatar, in the United Arab Emirates. This country is involved in numerous controversies, from corruption scandals to even complaints of modern slavery. In addition to these problems, the uncertainty of the female fans is also an urgent matter to be addressed.
The Middle East still has great conservatism due to the predominance of Islam in the country. Qatar is less strict than other Arab nations, but still quite rigid. The cultural shock has a greater impact on women, who are the target of discrimination under the sexist laws that govern the country.
In fact, the problem is mainly related to the patriarchal system that prevails in the Middle East, with public policies that restrict women’s freedom and rights. Even where discussions about the presence of women in politics are more advanced, their role is still very reduced. However, it’s important to remember that the idea that Arab women do not participate, are alienated or repressed is wrong. They are aware of their rights and fight for them, like other women in the world.
Three cases of discrimination against women in Qatar
The first one belongs to Laura, a 22-year-old Dutch woman who was on vacation in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The young woman was in a hotel bar with a friend when they put some substance in her drink that left her unconscious. As soon as she woke up in an unfamiliar place, she realized she had been raped. Immediately, Laura went to report what she had suffered to the local police, and to her surprise, she was detained.
In conservative Muslim countries, the country can sue them both for having sex outside of marriage: “Whoever copulates with a woman over 16 without necessity, coercion or trap will be punished with imprisonment for up to seven years. The same penalty will be imposed to the woman for having consented”, states article 281 of the Qatari penal code.
The second case happened recently, on March 29th29/03). Hundreds of fans were banned from entering the Reza Stadium to watch the Iran-Lebanon match for the Asian Qualifiers for the Qatar World Cup, even though they had bought tickets. In a video shared on social media, you can see hundreds of women gathered outside the stadium, protesting that they couldn’t watch the game. In 2021, the Iranian Federation asked the Qatari Parliament to allow women into stadiums, but no major changes have been achieved.
Similar to the first case, the third story is from the Mexican economist Paola Schietekat, who was hired to work on the Organizing Committee of the Qatar World Cup. Paola had her apartment invaded and was raped by a man. When she went to report the crime, the aggressor claimed that Paola was his love partner, and with that, the Mexican was accused of adultery for an extramarital affair and sentenced to 100 lashes, in addition to 7 years in prison. However, with the help of the World Cup Organizing Committee, she managed to leave the country. The attacker was not convicted because “there were no cameras to verify that the attack took place”.
And now, are women safe to watch the World Cup in Qatar?
With so many scary cases, the question remains: will women be able to watch the World Cup in peace? Not worrying about being harassed, just enjoying the opportunity to watch the world tournament games up close?
My tip is: if possible, don’t walk alone. Look for people who are going to travel to Qatar to attend the event and stay together. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the project “Elas na Copa” was created, a brazilian women’s initiative to deconstruct prejudices and help women who wanted to watch the tournament’s games. Any woman who liked football and was ready to embark on the Russian adventure would be welcomed into the group. Showing that women can love football, know the subject and enjoy a World Cup with the same rights as men. In Qatar, if the same initiative happens, it will be amazing to make friends and stay safe.
Also, be aware of the country’s dress code and posture, as it is important to get to know the cultural traditions that exist outside our western bubble. Tourists can wear their desired attire, but it’s best to avoid. So, grab your notebooks and write down the recommendations below to follow when packing!
- It is not recommended to wear clothes that show a lot of the body (short, transparent, low-cut or very tight) to avoid offenses to the local religion. If you want to visit the mosques, women should wear a scarf around their head and shoulders. Clothing needs to be baggy, covering arms and legs, for both men and women.
- Avoid clothing with religious words or phrases, as well as tattoos with these themes, which need to be covered.
In terms of behavior, there are also restrictions. I know people who live in South America are used to being warm and affectionate, but back in the Middle East many acts are not well regarded.
- Exchanges of affection between couples in public should be avoided. Kisses, hugs, holding hands and other displays of love are not going to go down well in front of everyone. And that goes for heterosexual couples and, especially, homosexuals. The chairman of the organizing committee for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Nasser Al-Khater, said that LGBTQIA+ fans will be entitled to watch games in the country, but ratified that displays of affection in public must be contained.
Even complying with the country’s dress and posture rules, women will be exposed to possible discrimination, simply because they are women. Unfortunately, this is nothing new in the sexist world we live in. At the World Cup, it will be no different. It is past time for FIFA to organize some movement to support women who will attend the games, providing all the necessary support so that they can enjoy this moment, without worrying about harassment.
Women, we are in this together <3
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The article above was edited by Julia Queiroz.
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