DOHA — Thousands of migrant workers wearing
the colors of Argentina, Brazil, and England staged a World Cup rally in
Doha on Friday, less than 10 days from the start of the tournament.
اضافة اعلان
Fans of
Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Harry Kane
converged on the Doha seafront for a march that would normally not have been
allowed, according to an AFP journalist.
The fans came mainly from Kerala state, a football
bastion in India that also accounts for a huge chunk of the Indian migrant community
in Qatar of about 750,000 people. Qatar has a total population of about 2.8
million.
The crowds turned up for the event that was
organized on social media and marched behind drummers to the World Cup
countdown clock overlooking the Gulf.
“Police were told in advance and this is our day,”
said one organizer who requested anonymity.
Asia’s World Cup
Demonstrations and rallies
are rare in Qatar and are normally confronted by tight security, but police on
Friday watched the fans from a discreet distance.
“The foreign workers in Qatar love football, and
they have bought a lot of tickets,” added the organizer. “This is the first
World Cup in an Arab nation, but in many ways, this is also going to be the
first World Cup in South Asia.”
The fans donned the blue and white strips of
Argentina and
Brazil’s yellow jerseys, bearing the names of Messi and Neymar,
but also Indian names.
They marched past the royal palace in Doha, where it
is normally illegal to take a picture of the building.
Qatar has been at the center of intense scrutiny
over its treatment of foreign workers. Most of those who took part in the
football rally would not give their full names because they did not want
employers to find out.
“This is a day of joy for us,” said one man who gave
his name as Rajesh. “There will be no politics, we are going to sing and chant
about football — especially Lionel Messi.”
“This is our freedom of expression,” said another
man in a Messi shirt, who gave his name as Aju. “Of course, some of us have
tough jobs, we hear the stories, but the World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime
event.”
Qatar residents have been the top buyers of tickets
for the tournament, with some low-priced $10 tickets having been reserved for
migrant workers. India has also been a key market for ticket sales.
The rally was held the day after the US became the
first team to arrive in Qatar for the event that starts on November 20.
“Seeing players touch down in Doha, the coaches
announcing their squads, and the players reacting with such natural and unbridled
emotions... has excited the football world,” said FIFA president Gianni
Infantino. — Thousands of migrant workers wearing
the colors of
Argentina, Brazil, and England staged a World Cup rally in Doha
on Friday, less than 10 days from the start of the tournament.
Fans of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Harry Kane
converged on the Doha seafront for a march that would normally not have been
allowed, according to an AFP journalist.
The fans came mainly from Kerala state, a football
bastion in India that also accounts for a huge chunk of the Indian migrant community
in Qatar of about 750,000 people. Qatar has a total population of about 2.8
million.
The crowds turned up for the event that was
organized on social media and marched behind drummers to the World Cup
countdown clock overlooking the Gulf.
“Police were told in advance and this is our day,”
said one organizer who requested anonymity.
Asia’s World Cup
Demonstrations and rallies
are rare in Qatar and are normally confronted by tight security, but police on
Friday watched the fans from a discreet distance.
“The foreign workers in Qatar love football, and
they have bought a lot of tickets,” added the organizer. “This is the first
World Cup in an
Arab nation, but in many ways, this is also going to be the
first World Cup in South Asia.”
The fans donned the blue and white strips of
Argentina and Brazil’s yellow jerseys, bearing the names of Messi and Neymar,
but also Indian names.
They marched past the royal palace in Doha, where it
is normally illegal to take a picture of the building.
Qatar has been at the center of intense scrutiny
over its treatment of foreign workers. Most of those who took part in the
football rally would not give their full names because they did not want
employers to find out.
“This is a day of joy for us,” said one man who gave
his name as Rajesh. “There will be no politics, we are going to sing and chant
about football — especially Lionel Messi.”
“This is our freedom of expression,” said another
man in a Messi shirt, who gave his name as Aju. “Of course, some of us have
tough jobs, we hear the stories, but the World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime
event.”
Qatar residents have been the top buyers of tickets
for the tournament, with some low-priced $10 tickets having been reserved for
migrant workers. India has also been a key market for ticket sales.
The rally was held the day after the US became the
first team to arrive in Qatar for the event that starts on November 20.
“Seeing players touch down in Doha, the coaches
announcing their squads, and the players reacting with such natural and unbridled
emotions... has excited the football world,” said FIFA president
Gianni Infantino.
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