By Augustus K. Yeung
INTRODUCTION
The issue of Western arrogance and boycotts came to mind when Qatar is starting to host this year's Football World Cup. One cannot but be reminded of Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), an English writer and Nobel Prize winner, who once famously said that the East is East, and the West is West, glorifying the West and its colonialism, and depreciating the East for being backward.
Born in Bombay, India and brought up at the height of the British Empire and its rule over, and oppression of the Indian Subcontinent for two centuries, Kipling did not have the pleasure of witnessing the rise of the East, which is a joy to the Eastern world.
The Beijing Winter Olympics and today's Doha Football World Cup, for example, introduced a brand-new face of the East, with the themes of national rejuvenation and cultural revival, which is quite a remarkable world-wide phenomenon. One week from kick-off, the World Cup trophy returned to Qatar, teams and fans started arriving, and safety barriers went up across Doha of one of the most controversial football tournaments ever.
The trophy, which will be presented to the winning team on December 18, returned from a world tour in time for Sunday's opening game when hosts Qatar take on Ecuador.
As Usual, There Are Protests Prompting FIFA's Pleas To "Focus on the Football"…
FIFA's pleas to "focus on the football" have struggled, however, against an international spotlight on Qatar's treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community. Qatar has angrily rebuffed most of the attacks and local media at the weekend blasted the "arrogance" of some Western countries.
"It seems to have been all we have read about in recent weeks, said Ringo Conzalez, an Ecuadorean based in Germany, who was among fans gathering at the World Cup countdown clock on the Doha seafront. "It will be good to see the teams finally doing something. I want Ecuador to do well and to see Lionel Messi and the other big names in action."
The United States team have already arrived in Doha and Australia were to join them on Sunday. Qatar is predicting more than 1 million fans will be in the smallest country to host a World Cup, and many have arrived in the capital.
Many star players were still involved for their European clubs at the weekend in the final matches before the season is paused for the World Cup.
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were all named in the starting line-up for Paris Sant-Germain against Auxerre in Ligue 1.
At sea, the giant newly built cruise MSC Europa was to be officially named before it welcomes thousands of Word Cup fans in Doha port.
In a concession to Qatar Islamic culture that restricts alcohol and bans gambling, a bottle of rose water was to be smashed on the hull instead of traditional champagne for the inauguration and the ship's casino was to be closed while it was in port.
Three cruise ships will house up to 10,000 fans and MSC said the Europa was fully booked for the first two weeks of the 29-day tournament.
On land, barriers have gone up on main streets and around metro stations and stadiums as security forces brace for the football invasion.
Organizers say 2.9 million of the 3.1 million tickets have been sold and scores of hopeful fans waited outside the FIFA ticketing center hoping scarce tickets become available for top games.
Matthew Coleman, an Australian living in Doha, and his Dutch friend Gijs Beenker, left empty-handed because there were no "interesting" matches available.
At a nearby souvenir store, staff said Europeans who bought thousands the official ball of the La'eeb mascot were the main customers.
Western Media "Arrogance" Question Whether Qatar Should Be Awarded the World Cup
Migrant workers from South Asia have brough thousands of replica Brazil and Argentina shirts and can be seen wearing them in the streets. The laborers have been at the center of an often acrimonious dispute over deaths, injuries and their working conditions since Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010.
European and Qatar media kept up their war of words over whether the energy-rich Gulf state should host the event.
One British newspaper said many fans believed that Indians in Qatar had been paid to take part in rallies supporting Argentina and Brazil. Thousands of migrant workers flocked to the march on Friday.
In response, Qatar's Al-Sharq newspaper said the anti-Qatar campaign "confirms the arrogance of some Western countries who believed organizing the World Cup must remain monopolized by them.
Al Raya said, "The enthusiastic festive atmosphere of large-crowds of football fans of different nationalities in Doha revealed the failure of smear campaigns led by some media and Western politicians against the 2022 World Cup". (Source: SCMP)
CONCLUSION
Queen Victoria's era and Kipling's racial prejudice have long gone, and probably forgotten. Had they all been alive, they would have been overjoyed to witness the ascendance of Asia with its infrastructural building of bridges, and highspeed railway lines, etc., marking them striking features of the 21st century.
One cultural trait that has not gone with the British titans is that their attitude of arrogance and the more recent social behavior of protests should be modified, making it suitable for the occasion.
The present occasion in Doha is one of celebration in which Football World Cup should be the dominant theme.
Protests and the voice of protesters of any kind should be respectfully cordoned off, making them visible but not socially disruptive.
For one thing, the host country has had spent billions of dollars on building the complex, making the celebration possible for millions of viewers around the world.
Imagine the joy of watching the world's best footballers showcasing their exquisite football skills, bringing cheers and tears of joy as viewers in bars rejoice over a glass of beer.
The author is a freelance writer; formerly Adjunct Lecturer, taught MBA Philosophy of Management, and International Strategy, and online columnist of 3-D Corner (HKU SPACE), University of Hong Kong.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
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