2022 World Cup: French cities to protest Qatar human rights record, environmental impact with big screen bans
Several French cities will not display World Cup matches on big screens or organize fan zones
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With the 2022 World Cup in Qatar just under 50 days away, protests surrounding the host nation’s human rights record and environmental impact continues to mount with several French cities recently announcing that they will not broadcast the games on large screens in public or organize fan zones.
Deputy mayor of Paris in charge of sports, Pierre Rabadan, told reporters that the French capital will not participate in the tradition of creating outdoor viewing screens and gathering sites because of "the conditions of the organization of this World Cup, both on the environmental and social level."
People gather around the official countdown clock showing remaining time until the kick-off of the World Cup 2022, in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. Fans going to the World Cup in Qatar must show a negative COVID-19 test when they arrive as part of the host nation’s rules to combat COVID-19, organizers said Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, File)
Paris joins several other major French cities, including Lille, Strasbourg and Bordeaux, who are all protesting the same issues.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}WORLD CUP 2022: DENMARK TO PROTEST HOST NATION WITH ‘TONED-DOWN JERSEYS’
"It’s impossible for us to ignore the many warnings of abuse and exploitation of migrant workers by non-governmental organizations," Jeanne Barseghian, the mayor of Strasbourg, said in a statement. "We cannot condone these abuses, we cannot turn a blind eye when human rights are violated."
The kit provider for the Danish national soccer team recently announced on social media that while it will not be boycotting the World Cup, it plans to make a statement with "toned-down" jerseys.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Team Denmark celebrates the victory with fans following the UEFA Nations League League A Group 1 match between Denmark and France at Parken Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
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"We don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives," Hummel, a Danish sportswear brand, said in an Instagram post. "We support the Danish national team all the way, but that isn’t the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation. We believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn’t, we want to make a statement."
Supporters watches on giant screens the Euro 2016 final soccer match between Portugal and France in the Paris fan zone, France, Sunday, July 10, 2016. Paris has decided not to display the matches of the World Cup in Qatar on giant screens in fan zones amid concerns over rights violations of migrant workers and the environmental impact of the tournament that have led some other French cities to make the same decision. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Qatar has denied allegations of human right abuses of its 30,000 workers who built the World Cup infrastructure. The government also said that it is mindful of environmental concerns and has committed to offsetting some of the carbon emissions from the World Cup events through creating new green spaces irrigated with recycled water and building alternative energy projects.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.