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he 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar ended on December 18, at Lusail Stadium, north of Doha. The World Cup sparked much controversy in the international media, and seemed to represent more than just a sports tournament.

In December 2010, Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup after a vote at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, becoming the first Arab and Middle Eastern country to host this world championship.

Since then, many doubts were raised about Qatar’s legitimacy to host the tournament.

First, Qatar was accused of paying bribes to FIFA officials in order to obtain the right to host the World Cup.

Several questions were raised about the ability of Qatar to host such a big event; the readiness of stadiums and sports infrastructure being among the most serious ones. Possible health risks that players may be exposed to due to the weather conditions in Qatar also became a topic of discussion.

However, such controversies did not prevent Qatar from completing all preparations for the World Cup. Then, suspicions shifted from logistical readiness to accusations of violating human rights and lack of freedoms.

From the beginning of the World Cup on November 20 to the final game on December 18, Qatar’s World Cup stadiums became a platform for political and, sometimes, cultural messages.

Human rights in the construction sector

Among all the accusations leveled against Qatar, the issue pertaining to the rights of migrant workers was the most controversial and widespread with several reports and investigations published on it.

In 2013, The Guardian published an investigation indicating such violations. The investigation claimed, “Dozens of Nepalese migrant laborers have died in Qatar in recent weeks and thousands more are enduring appalling labor abuses.” The report indicated that, according to documents obtained from the Nepalese embassy in Doha, at least 44 workers died between June 4 and August 8. More than half died of heart attacks, heart failure, or workplace accidents.

In addition, the newspaper described the working and living conditions faced by the workers as  “slavery in modern times.” The investigation spoke of very harsh working conditions. For example, the report referred to “forced labor on a huge World Cup infrastructure project.” Moreover, some Nepalese men alleged that they had not been paid for months while according to the same investigation, others said employers routinely confiscate passports and refuse to issue ID cards.

In 2016, Amnesty International reported that migrant workers were exploited at a Qatar World Cup 2022 site. The report claimed that “migrant workers on Khalifa International Stadium and the surrounding Aspire Zone have been subjected to a range of exploitative practices.” These practices included high recruitment fees, false promises about pay, passport confiscation, dirty and cramped accommodation, and threats over complaining about their conditions.

Traditional values and conservative culture

The World Cup organizers expected that at least one million people would visit Qatar during the World Cup period. FIFA stated that “more than 1.2 million tickets have been requested by fans worldwide in the first 24 hours of the initial sales period.”

Questions were then asked along the lines of how such a small country with a conservative culture can receive such number of visitors.

Alcohol consumption in Qatar is not completely prohibited, but is allowed only in licensed restaurants and bars. Moreover, the legal drinking age is 21.

Two days before the start of the World Cup, FIFA announced that “a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages at the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations, and licensed venues.”

In remarks to BBC Sport, the tournament’s chief organizer, Nasser Al-Khater, confirmed that alcohol will be served “in select areas within stadiums.”

Indeed, alcohol was available in the fan zone and selected areas. Moreover, the Arcadia Music Festival, which offered “the most immersive shows on Earth” and a capacity of 1,500 spectators, offered alcohol between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

One of the key accusations/criticisms leveled against the Qatar World Cup 2022 was the presence of gay fans. Although homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, CEO Nasser Al Khater said to Sky News that “gay fans will be welcome to display affection and rainbow flags.”

Moreover, in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani stated that “Qatari people will welcome football fans from all walks of life with open arms.” The emir confirmed that Qatar will open its doors to all fans without “discrimination.”

Despite this, the players could not wear the OneLove armband and fans weren’t allowed to fly rainbow flags.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) stated that they “were extremely disappointed by reports that members of Y Wal Goch, (a s pre-match song and fan club about the survival of Welsh culture and language), which included FAW staff members, were asked to remove and discard their Rainbow Wall bucket hats before entry to the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.”

In the same context, the England Football Association noted that “FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play.” The statement by Germany’s players was the most controversial and widespread. In their opener against Japan, they covered their mouth with their hands; denying them their right to wear the LGBT support armband was like muting their voices, a statement by the German Football Association (DFB) noted.

During the World Cup, the Moroccan national team’s qualification came as a big surprise. Morocco was the first Arab and African team to reach the World Cup semifinals.

After the Moroccan team’s victory over Spain in the 16th round and Portugal in the quarterfinals, some Moroccan players raised their index fingers towards the sky, an action that sparked a lot of reaction in international media.

German news channel Welt accused the Moroccan national team players of using the “Islamic State (ISIS) signal” by raising their index finger after their victory over Portugal. This link between the celebration of three Moroccan players and ISIS caused great discontent in the Arab and Muslim worlds, as Muslims use this gesture to express thanks to God.

Germany-based U.S. journalist Hebh Jamal described calling the players terrorists a “hate crime.” She posted pictures of Argentinian Lionel Messi and Brazilian Neymar Júnior raising their fingers to celebrate scoring, and sarcastically wrote, “Messi is an Islamic state terrorist” and “Neymar is a terrorist too.”

The Moroccan players’ mothers stole the limelight at the World Cup. Pictures spread of Moroccan players celebrating and dancing with their mothers after winning every match, and kissing their foreheads.

According to Al-Jazeera, team coach Walid Regragui and Royal Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa had ensured that the family members chosen by the players were offered an all-inclusive trip to Qatar.

“Our success is not possible without our parents’ happiness,” Regragui, who also celebrated with his mom, said upon taking the job in August.

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s the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicked off on November 20, 2022, and with hundreds of thousands of football fans across the globe making their way to the Gulf country to attend the significant sports event, Israel seems to be the only loser of the tournament. Here is how Israel lost the battle of public opinion at the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The solidarity with the Palestinian people expressed both in the streets of Qatar and in the stadiums during the World Cup was remarkable. The Palestinian flag, keffiyehs, and chants for the freedom of the Palestinian people were repeatedly reported to the shock of Israeli reporters who travelled to cover the global football event.

Four Arab teams had qualified for the World Cup, namely Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Tunisia, and the solidarity with Palestine expressed through the waving of Palestinian flags or wearing the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh was very visible not only at the matches of the Arab teams but at matches of other teams as well as in the streets. Football fans who came from all over the world persistently expressed solidarity with Palestine.

Israeli media coverage of the World Cup has shown that fans from Japan to England have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people by either chanting “Free Palestine” or refusing to speak to Israeli media about their experience during the World Cup.

Should we be surprised?

The truth is that many Palestinians are astonished that Israeli media crews were surprised by the treatment they received at the World Cup. There is no explanation for the Israelis’ surprise other than the general feeling of isolation many Israelis experience today as a result of being out of touch with reality and their inability to see the implications of 74 years of occupation and displacement, and what these years have meant for the Palestinian people.

In contrast, Palestinians are not surprised by this wave of solidarity, which was especially remarkable this year as it coincided with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on November 29.

Israeli successive governments have historically normalized ties with certain Arab governments, but not with the Arab peoples. The Israeli government, and some people in Israel, were always aware of this fact, but they tried to sell a different narrative to the Israelis, namely that the publics in the region are also fond of having ties with their state in its current form. The World Cup in Qatar has just proved the exact opposite.

Israel’s ongoing violations

In the span of one week from November 28 to December 3, Israel has killed 10 Palestinians. The latest of Israel’s victims was Omar Manaa, 22, who was killed near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. This year, Israel has killed around 150 Palestinians and its forces continue to break into Palestinian towns and cities every day, leaving behind more wounds that time cannot heal.

The manner in which the Israeli soldier killed Omar Manaa, which was caught on camera, shows without a shadow of a doubt that Israeli forces feel completely immune. Omar clashed with an Israeli soldier and during the clash in which Omar posed no threat to the Israeli soldier, the soldier decided to take out his pistol and kill him. It is certain that the Israeli soldier knew very well that he will not be held accountable for the crime he was about to commit.

On the contrary, in fact, he might have felt that he would be rewarded for his action. Itamar Ben Gvir tweeted that he supports the soldier’s “heroic act.” This is the current state of Israeli politics: Palestinians have to choose between right-wing politics and extreme right-wing politics. Ben Gvir, who was once banned from practicing law for his radical views and later defended settlers who assault Palestinians when the ban was lifted, is most likely to serve as Israel’s next national security minister with unlimited powers.

On December 4, Palestinians woke up again to the sounds of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, targeting the coastal enclave, which has been under a tight Israeli siege since 2007. The discourse of Israeli politicians today resembles that of the founders of Israel who were more open about their Zionist ideology that was based on the removal of the Palestinian people by force in order for the Zionist dream to come true. Today, we are back in the era of the iron wall, where Israel brags about the use of force to get Palestinians to surrender.

Solidarity with Palestine and the way forward

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar has shown once again that the issues of Palestine and the injustice its people have been and are still suffering are alive in the hearts of many people across the globe. The World Cup in Qatar sent the message to Israeli leaders that lasting justice will only be realized when Palestinians are given their rights back and the wrongdoings of the Nakba are reversed without further delay.

Football fans in today’s world can’t be separated from politics. In fact, stadiums have always been used to express political messages and the message from the stadiums in Qatar was loud and clear: the Palestinian people will eventually be victorious and have equal rights on their land.

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atar has become the first Middle Eastern country to host a FIFA World Cup football championship. However, critics have raised their voices about migrant workers’ living conditions and human causalities that reportedly occurred during the construction of stadiums and other organization-related facilities.

Qatar hopes that hosting the World Cup 2022 will significantly contribute to its national development and progress. Yet, certain western media outlets have called on Qatar for the conditions migrant workers have faced during the preparations for the World Cup 2022. Such bad publicity was the last thing Qatar wanted.

Workers’ conditions

30,000 foreign workers have moved to Qatar since 2010 when the country won the bid to become the FIFA World Cup host in order to aid in the preparation for the mega-event. These migrant workers came mainly from South-East Asian countries like Nepal and India.

Leading up to 2022, there have been concerns voiced among unions regarding the poor conditions of foreign workers in Qatar. Poor working conditions were detailed in the 2014 International Trade Union Confederation Special Report which also emphasized the conditions in detention centers, the Qatari legal system, corporate behavior, and labor inspections.

Given the pressures by the unions regarding the workers’ conditions and the deaths that have occurred on the government’s watch, the kafala system has been overridden, but concerns remain whether it continues and will continue in practice.

Kafala system

The kafala system is a law framework that is a bridge between migrant workers and employers, and relates to issues regarding international law and workers’ rights. The system allows for cheap labor, but is controversial as it paves the way for exploitation at the hands of employers or governments.

The system lacks “regulations and protections for migrant workers,” according to the Council of Foreign Relations, with workers becoming subject and exposed to poor working conditions, low wages, employee control, and abuse. This control means that employers are able to exert certain powers over the workers including changing their jobs, revoking their residence permits, and even deporting them. There is fear among workers about reporting abuses or the deteriorating situation of forced labor.

The system is predominantly seen in countries that have used this framework to help boost their rapid economic growth. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have fostered this system. Calls have been made to reform or abolish it due to the adverse effects it has on workers’ rights, and it has come to be regarded as a form of modern-day slavery.

Qatar took steps to abolish the kafala system in December 2016, and it was officially abolished in 2018. Thus, Qatar took considerable steps to align itself with international law and secure workers’ safety. The abolishment came alongside reform packages to enhance the labor market in Qatar.

The West reacts, but how?

When raising concerns over workers’ poor working conditions and lack of regulations, a special emphasis is paid to the number of deaths among workers in Qatar leading up to the World Cup 2022. However, there are serious inconsistencies with the numbers given.

David Mednicoff stated that there have been major reforms in Qatar thanks to the constructive pressure by unions and the International Labor Organization (ILO). Given the growing news on Qatar and the working conditions there, he highlighted that Western criticism may also conceal other agendas.

Mednicoff noted that the historic moment of Qatar being the first Middle Eastern country to host the FIFA World Cup was presented in an Islamophobic context in the French publication Le Canard enchaîné which depicted the Qatari football players as terrorists.

The Qatari Minister of State Dr. Hamad Al-Kawari responded to the publication, stating that “even caustic satire is welcome!!” He went on, “But the Chained Duck [Le Canard enchaîné] decided to resort to lies, hatred and resentment to attack Qatar and denigrate it. Keep some loyalty and sportsmanship at least.”

In fact, there has been pressure on Qatar since the bid for the World Cup 2022, and how it has all been portrayed is newsworthy in itself.

According to the social and solidarity economic plan of the 2024 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee, and partner organizations are working to ensure that young people and those struggling to find work can find employment in jobs created by Paris 2024 Summer Games. However, what is the human cost of this sporting event? Recently, some alarming facts have come to life which show the dark side of this athletic extravaganza.

A dozen unlawful migrant employees were involved in the construction of the Athletes Village in the Parisian suburb of St. Denis. The recent discovery of such undocumented workers toiling at Olympic construction sites reveals the unscrupulous subcontracting network at the heart of delivering the Paris 2024 Olympics. This may just be the tip of the iceberg.

The uncovering of mostly minority ethnic undocumented labour has led to only 100 checks being carried out by authorities despite thousands being employed constructing the many venues that will be used to host the Games. Why they are reluctant to investigate the full extent of the problem remains a mystery, though one may guess as to the reason.

These undocumented workers will likely be employed on poor terms and conditions and not receive the pay and benefits that lawful employee should expect to receive in France. The discovery of the abuses of migrant labourers comes as France brands its Olympics as the ‘Games for social inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers.’ Furthermore, the French Government supports the Olympic Refuge Foundation ahead of Paris 2024.

These high-minded aspirations appear to be little more than a blatant attempt to mask the truth about French society and sport. Ground-breaking research shows that even amateur French football, along with that of other European countries, discriminates against ethnic minority immigrants.

Sports built on French double standards

Robert Oulds, Executive Director of ImpACT International, told Politics Today that “It would be ironic, if it were not so tragic, that France’s showpiece tournament aims to raise awareness as to the plight of refugees whilst exploiting those very same migrants. The French Olympic authorities are taking the hypocrisy of virtue signalling to new extremes. President Macron’s showpiece tournament may hide the trouble that France has found itself in for a few weeks, but the dishonour of exploiting labour in service of building their stadia will stain his reputation.”

“Having experienced life in France, where workers’ rights are so neglected, it is no surprise that so many migrants and refugees are choosing to cross the English Channel in search of a better life in Britain. Their hopes may, however, be dashed.”

Ultimately Oulds finds that “The bogus claim repeatedly made by Remainers that staying in the EU was the only way to protect workers’ rights was ridiculous.”

“British standards and protections exceed those set by the European Union. Working people in Britain know that aim of Brexit is about the opportunity to get a well-paying job. Indeed, Remainers’ like Lord Rose campaigned for a low-wage economy. Far from some employment Nirvana countries like France just want to continue exploiting the vulnerable while pretending that they care about migrants,” concludes Oulds.

How are the games affecting the property market?

Making matters worse, the 86,000 acre Olympic and Paralympic village is being built in St. Denis to provide athletes with a place to live and is set to be used as a residential neighborhood that is expected to provide an estimated 5,000 homes once the games end. As part of the “Grand Paris Hub” project to renovate the St. Denis suburb, a new train station, better transport links, new housing and increased public facilities will be created.

Apart from the Olympic village, the hub plans to build a high-class complex building used as office space, two forty story hotels, shopping and restaurant facilities and a grand exhibition centre. In essence, such a grand project looks extremely attractive to foreign investors and those who can afford to enjoy such luxuries.

However, the reality does not look quite exciting for those less fortunate and will hit those families who are unable to afford to live in St. Denis after the Games due to the rise in property prices that the development will cause. It is estimated that there could be an increase of 10% to 15% in property prices in the surrounding areas with a potential for apartments to increase by up to 25% around the new transport facilities created in the St. Denis suburb. Thus, with property prices already skyrocketing in Paris’s suburb towns, residents will be left scrambling to afford basic living conditions.

The northern region of Paris already suffered from years of neglect, unregulated infrastructure, and a less well-off population than that of central Paris. Therefore, this expected spike in property prices will only make matters worse by increasing the division and gap between Paris’ wealthy and poor residents. A rise in poverty levels should be expected at the cost of lavish mega sporting events.

Neighbourhood relocation

When assessing the Paris Olympic bid evaluation, the Institute for Human Rights and Business accessed that the French were indeed committed to making use of existing infrastructure meaning that there would not be a substantial risk of displacement of populations to create new game venues. Additionally, according to the IOC, the Paris Olympics will already feature 95 per cent of the existing and temporary venues in the city.

However, what can be seen since Paris won the bidding process to hold the Olympic Games, is quite the opposite of the above-mentioned statement, instead, the creation of the Olympic Village in the Northern suburb has led to the forced eviction and relocation of thousands. The human cost of a mega sporting event of such large magnitude comes as no surprise of course, however, the lack of response from the IOC and its member committees is quite shocking to say the least.

Apart from the forced relocation of residents in the St. Denis suburb, schools and local businesses have been coerced into shutting down to make space for the building process. Unsurprisingly, the IOC has not done anything to stop the destruction of over 20 businesses, 3 schools, hotels, one student accommodation complex, and housing for migrant workers.

Although residents and workers have been offered temporary housing relocation offers, local protests have been underway since the Olympic village project was announced. Alongside this, a rise in unemployment will come because of business closures and relocations, exacerbating the divisions between the rich and the poor.

One representative for the migrant workers’ hostels complained about the temporary housing relocation claiming that the location was far from transportation links, little or no access to restaurants, grocery stores, cafes, or a disable friendly environment. Students are left to find more expensive housing closer to the capital whilst business owners are concerned over damage to profit earnings.

It should go without saying that if a host country has a minimal amount of pre-allocated land for the building of the iconic Olympic Village they simply should not be considered or allowed to enter the bidding process. This means that countries who wish to host future Olympic Games should show evidence of allotted space that is available to be used for the creation of new venues. This will provide assurance that the human cost of building such grand stadiums and racetracks will be mitigated and decreased, ensuring as little harm as possible happens to those communities.

During a visit to Europe while young, the former emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa was asked by an immigration officer at a European airport where the state of Qatar was located. Today, there is an airport in Qatar named after him, the Hamad International Airport, and Qatar has become a well-known Middle Eastern country, especially after its political role in the Arab Spring and its remarkable successes in the fields of media, energy, and diplomacy. As a strategy, Qatar makes use of soft power tools, including sports. The country’s emir and his close advisors realize the importance of sports diplomacy in achieving the country’s goals of becoming a regional sports hub.

Qatar has invested time and effort, showing a massive capacity in order to gain the rights to organize the FIFA 2022 World Cup, one of the world’s most important global sports events. Qatar will become the first country in the region to host this major sports event.

Prior to hosting the 2022 World Cup and the 2030 AFC Asian Cup, Qatar has hosted nearly 500 international sports events since 2005, covering all types of sports and age groups. For example, Qatar hosted the 2006 Asian Games, the 2015 World Men’s Handball Championship, the 2015 World Boxing Championship, the 48th World Artistic Gymnastics Championship, the World Handball Championship for Intercontinental Champions Clubs, the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games, the 2019 Club World Cup, and the Club World Cup 2020. Finally, it hosted the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup in December, and the Turkish Super Cup final in January 2022. In 2021 alone, Qatar hosted 63 sport events, including six world championships.

Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA 2021 Arab Cup was a turning point for a number of reasons. After a long interval of almost two decades, the Arab Cup was finally organized in December 2021 and took place in Doha. For the first time, all Arab countries participated in the event, which was professionally organized. The Arab Cup was first launched in Lebanon in 1963, but due to regional instabilities could only be held 10 times.

Technically, Qatar wanted to test its ability to run the FIFA 2022 World Cup with the Arab Cup, which was a mini-test for the World Cup scheduled to kick off on December 2, 2022. Naturally, beyond the sports, these international organizations are linked to Qatar’s national interests. Qatar proved itself very successful at winning over the hearts and minds of the Arab peoples who follow this tournament.

Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA 2021 Arab Cup was a turning point for a number of reasons.

At sports events, Middle Easterners a savor moments of joy and foster the feelings of brotherhood and unity, putting aside conflicts and regional disagreements. In April 2021, at the draw ceremony of the FIFA Arab Cup at the Katara Opera House, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that the Arab Cup, which took place for the first time under the FIFA umbrella, will unify the Arab world. He added, “The FIFA Arab Cup 2021… will be a great opportunity to unite the Arab world through football besides testing Qatar’s operational readiness for the prestigious FIFA World Cup in 2022.”

Meanwhile, the match that was scheduled to take place between Arab and world football legends under the auspices of the Arab Cup was cancelled as Arab players withdrew in protest of the presence of an Israeli coach. All the above contributed to highlighting the true pulse of the Arab peoples, and Qatar benefitted from allowing such freedom of expression.

Qatar does not limit itself to hosting Arab sports events and practices sports diplomacy in wider regions. The country recently hosted the Turkish Super Cup between Beşiktaş and Antalyaspor. On January 5, 2021, Qatar also hosted the African Super Cup.

Qatar advertises itself in a discreet manner through sports, especially since sports has a magic that can sometimes transcend politics and even contribute to finding solutions to political problems.

It is important to remember that one of the motives for the Gulf reconciliation was the desire of Qatar’s neighbors to benefit from the 2022 World Cup, whereby Emirati and Saudi airlines would see the benefits of transferring sports fans from all over the world to Qatar. Qatar has organized world sports events in a professional manner that is unprecedented in the region and has built cutting-edge infrastructure like stadiums equipped with the highest-level equipment and modern technology.

One such example is hologram technology, which was used for the first time in the Arab world in opening ceremonies, and in which a group of late artists sent messages calling for unity, brotherhood, and tolerance. These efforts have drawn praise from across the world, and continue to bolster Qatar’s image and reputation in both the international and regional public opinion.

Palestinian football history is rich and goes back to British Mandate Palestine when the Palestinian national team played against Australia’s football team in Sydney on July 2, 1939. Interestingly, at the time, nine years before the creation of Israel, the entire Palestinian team comprised of Jewish players and Australia won 7-5. Today, Palestinian sports unions and clubs are scattered across major Palestinian cities such as Jaffa, Gaza, Jerusalem, and Haifa.

Despite suffering a serious blow in 1948 due to the establishment of Israel and the takeover of many Palestine’s sports facilities by the Israeli authorities, Palestinian sports remained alive over the years with sports taking a particular political taste. Sports has never been separated from politics especially after Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

The scenes of football fans waving the Palestinian flag in stadiums at local, regional, and international tournaments have become familiar across the globe. To the disappointment of people who call for separating sports from politics, this does not seem possible. Supporters of various teams have turned stadiums into platforms to voice their support for the Palestinian people and their struggle for freedom and statehood. In some cases, they have received punishments and restrictions from sports bodies such as UEFA for doing so.

In response to imposing a fine penalty on the Green Brigade, one of the team’s ultras groups raised money to pay the fine imposed by UEFA and an additional 176,000 British pounds to support Palestinian charities. The Scottish Celtic fans in Scotland have repeatedly expressed their support for the Palestinian cause by raising Palestinian flags especially when their team is playing against an Israeli one. Celtic fans are also known for their pro-Palestine chants.

Palestinian players and sports people have always been a target for Israel.

In fact, Israel also knows that sports can’t be separated from politics. Israel’s former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a video calling on the Iranian people to revolt against their own government, when Iranians took to the streets in 2018. He asked them, “Can you imagine how hard it is to stop Ronaldo from scoring a goal? I used to play soccer, let me tell you, it is almost impossible, but the Iranian team just did the impossible. To the Iranian team I say, you showed courage on the playing field, and today, you are sharing the same courage in the streets of Iran.”

Palestinian players and sports people have always been a target for Israel. In 2009, Israeli forces arrested Palestinian footballer Mahmoud al-Sarsak, while he was on his way to the West Bank from the Gaza Strip. They held him under the “Unlawful Combatants Law,” which allows Israel to hold prisoners without charge or trial. After three years under arrest, al-Sarsak gained his freedom after going on a three-month-long hunger strike.

Sudan’s Mohamed Abdalrasool did the same when he had to compete against Tohar Butbul – whom Nourine had refused to play with – citing solidarity with the Palestinian people. The stance of these athletes reveals the huge gap between the political and popular levels in the Arab world, and it further explains the importance of sports and the impossibility of separating it from politics.

More recently, at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup held in Doha between November 30 and December 18, increasing solidarity with the Palestinian people was expressed by football fans. During the Tunisia-Egypt game, Palestinian flags were visible. The Algerian football team and its fans were very vocal in support of Palestinians, raising the Palestinian flag during their matches.

Following winning the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, Algeria’s fans and team raised the Palestinian flag. Following the Algeria-Morocco match, Houcine Benayada, Algeria’s national team player who wrapped the Palestinian and Algerian flags over his body, said, “We do not play for any bonus, we play for these two flags.” Madjid Bougherra, the Algerian team’s coach, dedicated his country’s victory to the Palestinian people, adding, “We dedicate the Arab Cup to the Palestinian people and our people in Gaza.” In the streets of Gaza, Palestinians took to the streets to celebrate Algeria’s championship.

Arab popular solidarity with the Palestinians is not strange, as chants in support of the Palestinians have become the norm in stadiums. The fans of Moroccan team Raja have gone viral with a song they dedicated to Palestine, which says: “Beloved Palestine, you are the most beautiful of countries, May God protect you… Alrajais [the fans of Raja] are the voice of oppressed people… Freedom to Palestine and happiness shall prevail in Jerusalem.” Most recently, the Egyptian team Al Ahly raised a Palestinian flag after winning the CAF Super Cup in a match played against Raja in Doha.

All the above is testimony to the solidarity with the Palestinian people in the Arab world on the popular level. Reflected, among others, in stadiums, this solidarity has not faded over the years, even at a time when certain governments choose to normalize their ties with Israel before the Palestinian people earn back their freedom.

These chants of solidarity show that sports can’t be separated from politics, and that losing a game by withdrawing for political reasons is as powerful as any victory. These acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people, from Scotland to Algeria, and Morocco to Qatar, prove once again that sports is a powerful tool for change.

The Club Champions League, the final game of the CAF (Confederation of African Football), took place on November 27, 2020. The game was played between the two biggest Egyptian teams, Al-Ahly and Al-Zamalek in Cairo Stadium and ended by the crowning of Al-Ahly as the African champion for the 9th time. A crowd of fans of both teams would normally be expected to fill the stadium.

However, this was not the case since the Egyptian public and hardcore fans known as “Ultras” have been banned from Egyptian stadiums since 2012. This ban has been part of the anti-revolutionary policies by the military regime in Egypt. These policies especially targeted the Ultras due to their effective social mobilization capacity during the January 25 Revolution that took place in Egypt in 2011.

The political involvement of the Ultras in Egypt was not a spontaneous reaction during the January 25 Revolution. Rather, it was a process that started with the very establishment of the Ultras in 2007. The Ultras of the two clubs in Egypt, Al-Ahly and Al-Zamalek, are called “Ultras Ahlawy” and “White Knights” respectively. From their establishment, both groups condemned police brutality and the dictatorship of the Mubarak regime. They were also influential during the 2011 events, thanks to their discipline, commitment, and their overriding principle of following the orders of their leaders.

In addition, their financial independence gave them a certain freedom and kept them away from any state control. When Mubarak stepped down and the military took control of the country in February 2011, the state aggression against the Ultras started to increase and was crystalized in two major massacres: Port-Said, on February 1, 2011, and the Egyptian Air Defence Stadium massacre on February 8, 2015. These two incidents were followed by mass arrests of members of both groups who were tried in the courts.

The Influence of Turki Al-Sheikh on Egyptian Football

The counterrevolutionary policies of the Egyptian state under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have been supported by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as part of their anti-Arab Spring policies. The Ultras were targeted by this Saudi- and UAE-supported witch hunt that is related to the presence and position of Turki Al-Sheikh in Egypt.

Turki Al-Sheikh is a Saudi adviser of the royal court and is the current chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia. He started to appear on the Egyptian football scene in December 2017. Since then, he was announced as the honorary president of Al-Ahly. Later on, he resigned, refused an offer to preside over Al-Zamalek, but still invested huge amounts of money in transfers for both clubs.

Fans who directed criticism towards Al-Sheikh have had to apologize publicly following legal actions taken against them.

Furthermore, he became involved in many disputes between the clubs and their players, and bought the Egyptian club Al-Assiouty Sport, changed its name to “Pyramids FC,” and then sold it to Emirati businessman Salem Al-Shamsi. Reports of Turki Al-Sheikh’s involvement in Egyptian sports have heavily criticized his policies and their impact on the efforts of the Saudi government under Mohammad bin Salman to influence Egyptian sports

The founders and the early members of the Ultras in Egypt are currently either imprisoned, exiled, or have preferred to disappear from the public scene following the oppression they experienced. In addition, for the past eight years sports fans in general have been banned from interacting with football clubs.

Sport fans in general have been banned from interacting with football clubs for eight years. Thus, the reactions of the new generation of football fans, in general, and Ultras, in particular, can only be observed through social media.

A general observation of social media reveals that Turki Al-Sheikh became the central topic of discussions even after his “official” withdrawal. The attitude he showed towards football fans was problematic as he took legal action against some of them and shared their names publicly on his Facebook account over claims of personal insult allegations.

His position on players such as Abdullah Al-Said and transferring him to the rival team, Al-Zamalek, or the dispute with Al-Ahly’s former captain, Hossam Ashour, and his retirement plans have been hot topics among football fans on social media networks. Al-Sheikh joined controversial Al-Zamalek chairman Mortada Mansour in his attacks and criticisms against the Ultras.

As a result, the discussions of football fans across social media became mainly concerned with Al-Sheikh’s actions. Discussions within groups of fans of one team or between rival fans focused mostly on the problems that Al-Sheikh was involved in, and his influence on both the big clubs and Egyptian football in general.

Al-Sheikh and his interventions in the policies of football clubs were used by rival fans as a sarcastic reference point and to mock each other and belittle their managerial boards. Meanwhile, various political and social events took place when Turki Al-Sheikh was the honorary president of Al-Ahly Club in Egypt and an investor in Egyptian football.

These events include calls made by former military-affiliated contractor Mohamed Ali for protests against the Egyptian regime, or for protests against more recent events such as the demolishing of unlicensed houses, carried out by the Sisi regime.. In addition, a social media campaign was launched against sexual harassment by survivors who started publicly shaming abusers and were supported by celebrities and social media influencers.

These events would have seen a huge reaction from the Ultras, both at the stadiums and on social media, had they taken place eight or nine years ago. Nonetheless, fans on social media networks merely expressed their reactions to the matches and to the actions of Turki Al-Sheikh. Al-Sheikh has already sold Pyramids FC and is currently the owner of the Andalusian club UD Almería. However, Al-Sheikh is still present and influential through his financial support to both Al-Ahly and Al-Zamalek, and his continuous engagement with different media channels and talk shows in Egyptian media.

Al-Sheikh’s presence helped the current Egyptian regime to continue to oppress the Ultras as an effective group of the January 25 Revolution and as a presence that continues to pose a threat to its existence.

Fans who dared to become involved in such political, social, or public discourse have experienced firsthand the state’s reaction towards the Ultras. Fans who directed criticism towards Al-Sheikh and the atmosphere he created in Egyptian football, have had to apologize publicly following legal actions taken against them. These actions of Al-Sheikh, alongside securitizing the Egyptian sports, managed to push football fans away from such sensitive social and political causes. It also served the Saudi-Emirate plans carried out against groups involved in the Arab Spring revolutions.

Thus, the presence of Al-Sheikh helped to immobilize fans across social media and threatened anyone who openly talked about his corrupting influence. Al-Sheikh’s presence helped the current Egyptian regime to continue to oppress the Ultras as an effective group of the January 25 Revolution and as a presence that continues to pose a threat to its existence.