Qatar All Set for a World Cup Full of Petty Covid Rules

Robert Jackman has written in the Telegraph about his recent trip to Qatar for a World Cup ‘test run’ match, where he found a country still in the grip of Covid theatre, mask mania and digital discrimination.

A few days before his departure, the country changed its entry requirements and demanded a lab-certified Covid test before arrival for vaccinated as well as unvaccinated travellers. Jackman duly complied.

My short-notice visit to a plush Covid clinic in Kensington (whose heavily-branded waiting room resembles a Scientology centre) does have one silver lining. It gives me time to complete my other pre-boarding requirements – which include uploading my NHS vaccine certificate, completing a passenger locator form, and installing Qatar’s compulsory Covid app, Ehteraz.
You might think that a commercially-savvy state like Qatar, whose 96% vaccination rate ranks as the fifth highest in the world, might have thought twice about introducing such cumbersome requirements on travellers as it prepares to host one of the biggest sporting events on earth. Yet here we are.
When I arrive in Doha, there are yet more rules to follow. Before entering a restaurant or shop, you must show your Ehteraz app, which serves as proof of vaccination as well as offering a running commentary on local Covid levels…
Thankfully, Qatar’s strict mask mandate was recently relaxed and now only applies to public transport and not hospitality venues and shops. Sadly, though, this hasn’t reached the army of service workers who toil away to keep this place running. From waiters to chauffeurs, all are required to stay masked.
Given the already stark inequalities in the Gulf, it leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Walking around Doha, I feel particularly sorry for the security guards standing outside hotels, wearing masks in the 40-degree heat. Many will say it is hardly the most pressing labour issue in the region – and they’re right. Yet it’s one that could be solved overnight.
In a country where most people are already relying on a non-native language to do their job, masks also add a serious barrier to communication. At dinner, my Kazakh waitress is impeccably diligent and polite, yet I feel guilty at being unable to understand her muffled English (none of which, of course, is remotely her fault).
Could stricter mask mandates return for the World Cup? Quite possibly. Qatar adjusts its restrictions as cases rise or fall, meaning that tougher rules can return at any time. For fans already facing serious curbs around alcohol, compulsory masks in stadiums could be another dampener. It would certainly be a shame.

In many ways Qatar is well-prepared for the World Cup, Jackman writes. So why “insist on expensive pre-departure testing and vaccine passport rules that much of the Western world has already scrapped (and without having any discernible impact on their Covid cases either)?”

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huxleypiggles

2 years ago

The very fact that Qatar is hosting the World Cup confirms that corruption is endemic. Stadiums built with slave labour, a competition to be played in 40° heat. An utter joke.

Fortunately, I have no interest in the millionaire madonnas so this is another event of world importance that will sail straight over my head.

118

transmissionofflame

Reply to huxleypiggles

I used to quite like watching elite football “in person” but a combination of increasingly hysterical, idiotic behaviour from players and manages and pundits, corruption, health and safety bollocks and more recently lunatic wokeness from the governing bodies and clubs has put me off completely. The combination of corporate snouts in the trough, Qatar, covid and woke bullshit is surely enough to put even the most ardent fan off. I know some people, like our genial host TY, still love football “in person” – I don’t know how they do it. I’d rather watch some talented kids kicking about in the park, or just play myself instead of watching. I increasingly feel the same about most elite sports – gradually being ruined for me.

Reply to transmissionofflame

Totally agree tof.

Hugh

They say the Northern Football League (the second oldest football league in the world) retains much of what people love about the game if you fancy getting back to live footy.

Last edited 2 years ago by Hugh

Matt Dalby

The games won’t be played in 40 degree heat as this is the first ever world cup to be staged in the Northern Hemisphere winter.
There will be a lot less woke nonsense as Qatar is one of the least woke nations on Earth. There was some discussion months ago about whether or not the England team would dare to take the knee in Qatar, which is ironic as if you really believed in what it signifies you would do it regardless of the host nation thinks, even if they are a major supplier of LNG and we’re facing an energy supply crisis.
I very much doubt that we’ll be seeing players with rainbow coloured laces/captains armbands, or rainbow coloured corner flags as homosexuality is illegal in Qatar (not sure what the penalty is, but it’s likely to be years in prison, and may even be death by stoning as I think it still is in some Arab states). But again if players really believed in what they virtue signal surely they should have the courage to either carry on wearing pride symbols or refuse to play in the world cup.
With regards to Covid vaccines there must be at least one or two players from the 32 teams taking part that have shown the courage not be vaccinated. If some teams are missing a star player, we’ll learn who football’s true heroes are.
When Qatar was awarded the world cup back in 2010 (or was it 2012) I thought it was the worst thing that had ever happened to “the beautiful game”, but know I think in some strange way it good be the best thing that’s happened in the past few decades.

JohnK

The whole idea of it being located in Qatar is bizarre. Many years ago, I briefly experienced a temperature in the 40s (in Dubai, when changing planes between Karachi & Heathrow), and it was not a nice environment. Can’t imaging what it’s like to be physically active at that temp. The only good thing about it is that it’s fairly dry – but you shift an awful lot of water to cool down.

Boyter

Reply to JohnK

Sadly, its not dry. Aug/Sept is humid and miserable. (currently on my 17th summer out here)

Reply to Boyter

Well hello. Great to have members from the Arab environment. Any news from your end would be appreciated.

I’ve been on here for years (feels like years?) but never posted a comment until today….not sure why!

Not much news here in Dubai, things are almost back to normal (the old, loved normal) but the laws for masks indoors are still in place, just not enforced as much. PCR still required to keep your vax pass green and Abu Dhabi use the pass to enter most buildings. I tend to avoid the place due to it.

And its summer. the fun never ends!

Now you have broken your silence it would be great to see more posts.

Do you remember that stunt where someone threw “money” over Sepp Blatter? One of my favourite such stunts, and bang on the money. Russia then Qatar – says it all. (And UEFA’s Michel Platini was a horrible arrogant basket).

Reply to Hugh

Yup. It was entertaining

Last edited 2 years ago by huxleypiggles

Everybody who claims that people other than white Anglo-Saxons (or the rather less interesting, equally colourless European neighbours) ever did S-word is a S-word deniers! How dare you … !

Last edited 2 years ago by RW

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