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Qatar: UK media investigation into World Cup bribery allegations is “racist” and “Islamophobic”

Jun 28, 2014 10:46 am By Robert Spencer

QatarWorldCup“But just what is ‘racist’ about bribery?,” asks Al Arabiya — or about investigating bribery? This bizarre response from Qatar to charges that it bought the right to host the 2022 World Cup shows the hollowness of the charges of “racism” and “Islamophobia” that are constantly leveled at counter-jihadists. Just as there is nothing racist or Islamophobic about investigating bribery, so also there is nothing racist or Islamophobic about opposing jihad terror.

“‘Racist Britain:’ Qatar in World Cup sympathy bid,” by Eman El-Shenawi, Al Arabiya, June 17, 2014 (thanks to Kirath):

Qatar, a state positioning itself as progressive and close to the West, which previously rejected co-hosting the World Cup with a Gulf neighbor, is now trying to drum up Arab and Muslim support by branding a recent Sunday Times report and wider British society as “racist.”

Using social media to build sympathy, many in the country are now bashing recent coverage by the British newspaper on Qatar’s alleged World Cup 2022 bribery scandal as having “racist” and “biased” overtones.

But just what is “racist” about bribery?

In an interview with Al Arabiya News on Tuesday, a spokesman for the newspaper rejected claims of racism in its investigation of “millions of documents ranging from emails to bank records.”

One tweet by a Qatari said “the 2022 World cup will be in Qatar God willing despite the British racist mouse.”

At the crux of The Sunday Times report were documents which allegedly bolstered claims that Qatar bought the 2022 World Cup with millions of dollars-worth of bribes — administered by disgraced FIFA vice-president Mohamed bin Hammam.

“The story was one about alleged corruption in a major international sporting body, not about a particular nation or race,” the spokesman said.

“We believe global events such as the World Cup should be properly scrutinized and the investigation by The Sunday Times involved the analysis of hundreds of millions of documents ranging from emails to bank records. This professional piece of journalism from an award-winning team is of significant public interest and we continue to stand by our report,” he added.

Still, this has not stopped Qatari media figures from pulling out the racism card, even urging fellow citizens to boycott the UK as a holiday destination this summer.

“There is a broad popular sense that a withdrawal of the right to host the World Cup would be seen as discriminatory, biased and even Islamophobic,” James Dorsey, a columnist and the author of the blog, The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer, told Al Arabiya News.

Earlier this week, Ilham Badr, a Qatari media figure, urged fellow citizens on Twitter to not visit the UK and to look for “other beautiful cities that are not racist and whose governments are not defaming our country,” according to Qatari daily The Peninsula.

Jabir al-Merri, another Qatari media figure, said on Twitter: “Racism against the Arabs has surfaced after one of the Arab countries proved that it is capable to host the World Cup.”

But years of Britain welcoming heavy Qatari influence in its property and investment markets suggest it may be contradiction to suggest the Sunday Times coverage was driven by anti-Qatar sentiment.

Famous British assets including Harrods, the Shard – Europe’s tallest building, – swathes of the Canary Wharf financial district, Olympic Village buildings, No. 1 Hyde Park – the world’s most expensive block of flats – are all Qatari-owned.

Also, a sovereign wealth fund with tens of billions of pounds in assets and a global reach, the Qatar Investment Authority, has already invested billions in Britain, while Qatari LNG accounted for high percentages of Britain’s liquefied natural gas imports in recent years….

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Filed Under: "Islamophobia", claiming victim status, Qatar, United Kingdom Tagged With: featured


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Comments

  1. John C. Barile says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 11:01 am

    These allegations can’t be true about Sunni Qatar–baksheesh is a Shi’a thing.

    • John C. Barile says

      Jun 28, 2014 at 11:02 am

      /sarc

  2. Mawskrat says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 11:05 am

    2022………I wonder how Bikini clad women and beer will go over in Qatar then//

  3. tpellow says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 11:16 am

    And, of course, the Emirate of Qatar’s Islamic global broadcasting propagandist, Al Jazeera, which has been supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, is simply repeating Qatar’s absurd obfuscation on the World Cup issues of bribery.

  4. David says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 11:59 am

    Qatar winning the World Cup was an out & out disgrace, & solely down to corruption. The delegates had millions put into their accounts by a wealthy sheikh to cast their vote. FIFA is a fresh stinking pile of excrement. There is not one reason to have given it to Qatar, including temperatures of around 50 degrees C playing temperatures. All the sponsors should pull out of Qatar to force FIFA to drop it.

  5. Mirren10 says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    “There is a broad popular sense that a withdrawal of the right to host the World Cup would be seen as discriminatory, biased and even Islamophobic,” James Dorsey, a columnist and the author of the blog, The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer, told Al Arabiya News”

    **Any** investigation into **anything** mohammedans do or say, is discriminatory, racist, biased, and islamophobic.

    I thought everyone knew that.

    • Angemon says

      Jun 28, 2014 at 1:04 pm

      Well, apparently some journ… i mean, “islamophobes” don’t know that yet and choose to do their work properly instead of going with the current PCMC trend. Maybe we should call Al-Hillaly Clinton to give them an old-fashioned public shaming.

      And since we’re speaking of mrs. Clinton (well, at least i am), do you know that she’s going to end racism in America? That’s right, in 2016 all the anti-Obama “racists” will suddenly transform into anti-feminist patriarchal oppressors of women.

  6. Jack Diamond says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 4:42 pm

    Qatar has been just as busy buying up France. The dictator of Qatar, al-Thani, has invested millions to run the banlieues, the suburbs where most of the 6 million Muslim colonists live; Qatar’s bought shares in some of the biggest French companies (like Louis Vuitton and a percentage in the parent company of Airbus)); it has also driven French foreign policy (i.e. Libya); they are also part of the investment group that bought Mirimax, for you film fans.
    http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3392/qatar-france

    At the same time they arm and finance the worst killers on the planet and plan on our destruction. But that shouldn’t get in the way of business with “gutter.”

  7. Beth says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    Qatar has a lot of nerve accusing anyone of prejudices. They have their own United Nations – made up of 57 muslim nations of which NO non-muslim nation is welcomed.

    And then there are the teachings of their Koran – which are pure evil.

    Hypocrites! Liars, sneaks and hypocrites.

  8. sidney penny says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/54313/How-Rich-Little-Qatar-Bribed-Its-Way-To-Soccers-Top

    How Filthy Rich Little Qatar Bribed Its Way To Soccer’s Top

    The same way that the filthy rich Arabs have been bribing journalists, businessmen, and diplomats to support the Arab war against Israel, beginning with the large sums expended to get African countries to sever diplomatic ties with Israel after the Six-Day War. It’s been a great success.

    But when it comes to where the competition for the World Cup is to be held, there at least there may be some indignation.

    After all, it’s not something insignificant — the rights of the Jews, the survival of Israel — that’s at stake, but where a soccer stadium is to be built, and players’ health to consider, and the appeal of such a locale as Qatar in the summer to foreign tourists.

  9. sidney penny says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 8:46 pm

    Is it racist or islamophobic to investigate bribery and corruption?

    Is it racist or islamophobic to oppose jihad terror?

    “Bribery as a matter of principle crosses the red line; a violation of FIFA rules by definition, but you still have to establish that a third party was influenced,” Dorsey added.

    http://english.alarabiya.net/en/sports/2014/06/01/Qatar-s-Bin-Hamaam-paid-5m-World-Cup-bribe.html

    Leaked emails: Qatar’s $5m World Cup bribe
    By Eman El-Shenawi | Al Arabiya News

    Mohammad Bin Hammam, Qatar’s former top football official, reportedly paid $5 million to help raise the Arab country’s chances of hosting the 2022 World Cup, in revelations that commentators fear could see the tournament be withdrawn from them.

    The UK’s Sunday Times said it had obtained a “bombshell” cache of millions of leaked emails and documents relating to payments made by Bin Hammam who at the time was an executive member of FIFA, footballs’ international governing body.

    “The files … unlock the mystery of how a tiny desert state with no football infrastructure won the right to host the world’s biggest sporting tournament,” the newspaper said.
    …….

  10. sidney penny says

    Jun 28, 2014 at 9:07 pm

    Planning your next FIFA World Cup Trip

    Pack your Burkas!!!

    Leave your drums and vuvuzelas behind.

    It will be known as the Silent World Game.

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/05/leggings-are-not-pants-qatar-warns-tourists

    “Help us preserve Qatar’s culture and values.” Fine. No one should have any problem with a nation wanting to preserve its own culture and values. Just remember the principle: for a Muslim country like Qatar to preserve its culture and values that are in line with Sharia is altogether fitting and proper. And for a non-Muslim country like the U.S. to preserve its culture and values that are in opposition to Sharia is racist, bigoted and Islamophobic.

    Leggings are not pants, Qatar warns tourists

  11. BC says

    Jun 29, 2014 at 6:16 am

    The ‘get out of jail free card’ which even our politicians are using in regard to the Mid East situation. There is nothing wrong with anything islamic it is all just Islamophobia

  12. mortimer says

    Jun 29, 2014 at 7:48 am

    As he was dying, Mohammed instructed his followers to continue giving bribes to foreign government officials.

    Buying influence is normative Islam; Muslims think there is nothing wrong with bribery if it benefits Islam.

    • dumbledoresarmy says

      Jul 1, 2014 at 2:34 am

      Yup.

      Jihad of the Purse, or to be even more vulgarly colloquial – Jihad of the Moneybags.

    • dumbledoresarmy says

      Jul 1, 2014 at 2:37 am

      And note well – whenever and wherever there are cases of Muslims converting to Christianity, Muslims accuse the Christians of *bribing* them to convert. Similarly, if a non-Muslim – or someone who has left Islam – publicly criticises Islam, Muslims often claim that the person is only doing it because da Joooz (or some other Evil Infidels) **paid** them to do it.

      PROJECTION, thy name is Islam.

      They take it for granted that non-Muslims do things the way they – the Muslims – do….

  13. Art says

    Jun 29, 2014 at 8:12 pm

    It should be interesting when the Israeli team lands in Qatar.

    • gravenimage says

      Jul 2, 2014 at 8:10 pm

      This probably won’t happen, Art.

      Israel’s “neighbors” are so hostile that they won’t play Israel, and so she is in the European League.

      In many ways this is better—she plays at least somewhat more civilized teams, deals with fewer Muslims, and is all over safer.

      But Israel would be a solid competitor if she played regionally—only a handful of Muslim countries such as Algeria may be better.

      But Israel with her tiny population is consistently outplayed by powerhouse Europe, which has some of the best teams in the world.

      Sadly, Israel hasn’t qualified for the World Cup for years as a result—in fact, her one and only qualifier was in 1970.

  14. dumbledoresarmy says

    Jul 1, 2014 at 2:44 am

    A Hugh Fitzgerald classic on Qatar (en Francais – just a little treat for the Francophones amongst us – Canadians, please cross-post/ reblog).

    http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/46017

    Saturday, 2 February 2013
    Il Faut Donner Une Bonne Baffe Au Qatar (NER article in French)

    (In English – “Qatar deserves a good slap”).

    More on Qatar:

    http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/45880
    Saturday, 26 January 2013
    Qatari Primitives With Money Enjoy Their Parisian Existence Which Could Be Denied Them

  15. gravenimage says

    Jul 2, 2014 at 8:00 pm

    “There is a broad popular sense that a withdrawal of the right to host the World Cup would be seen as discriminatory, biased and even Islamophobic,” James Dorsey, a columnist and the author of the blog, The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer, told Al Arabiya News”
    ………………………………..

    Are they admitting that corruption is normative Islam?

    But, really, all Muslims have to do is play the “Islamophobia” card, and they can get away with almost anything.

    It may not work here, though—Soccer (Football) is a sport millions around the world are passionate about, and Qatar is a very unpopular place to hold the World Cup.

    And I’ve checked out James Dorsey’s “Middle East Studies” Online Journal—he seems generally pretty dhimmified, although I’ve seen even worse among ‘journalists’.

  16. gravenimage says

    Jul 2, 2014 at 8:16 pm

    In more Muslim soccer news, it seems that one of the soccer stadiums is being used as a “detention center” in Syria—which probably means torture.

    Even worse, Kabul’s soccer stadium was used for public executions, including stonings, under the Taliban. Similarly, another stadium has been used for public executions in Bangladesh.

    When a soccer stadium in the civilized world is used for something other than games, it is usually something along the lines of big music concerts—not oppression and bloodshed.

    Compare and contrast…

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