Should We Boycott the Qatar 2022 World Cup?

At The Table tonight we’re looking at the controversial 2022 World Cup in Qatar with veteran human rights & LGBT activist Peter Tatchell, Iranian Human Rights Campaigner Maryam Namazie, Conservative talkshow host Cristo Foufas and Co-Founder of the Muslim Debate Initiative Abdullah al Andalusi.

After the unfathomably rich gulf state was found to have secured the hosting gig with a series of bribes to FIFA executives and international governments, the 2022 World Cup kicked off this weekend in Qatar. But should celebrities, players, commentators and fans be endorsing or boycotting the competition? Several thousand indentured migrant workers are reported to have lost their lives in the construction of the stadium and Qatari officials have warned LGBT fans against “acting gay” during the event, describing homosexuality as a mental illness. On top of that a last minute decision by the Qatari royal family saw alcohol banned from the stadium just days before the event and now European teams have decided not to wear “one love” armbands during matches. So should liberal Western countries be boycotting the competition? This is our question on The Table tonight.

Then join us after the live broadcast ends for The Table After Dark, our exclusive Q&A for members and your opportunity to get involved by putting your questions direct to the panel. Just make sure you’re a member, are logged in and either hit the After Dark link at the top of this post or find the Table After Dark playlist in the members area.