Marquee
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Top website from a top fella.

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Thanks for sharing this Brandon!  I've been thinking about what we can do around the U20 World Cup in terms of a grassroots campaign, and the suggestion Sharan makes about everyone turning up wearing stickers about Qatar... What do others think? Would there be people here who are willing to put some energy into this? Would we get good take up? I'm yet to meet anyone from anywhere on the political spectrum who doesn't support the campaign.

Marquee
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I'm in two minds about this, while I don't like what is happening with FIFA and in Qatar. I'm not sure I want to do something to distract from having this great event in New Zealand.

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Using it to make a stand against human rights abuses = making it a better event IMO

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It would be highly irresponsible to not boo Sepp Blatter should he make any public appearances.

Listen here Fudgeface
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Oska wrote:

It would be highly irresponsible to not boo Sepp Blatter should he make any public appearances.

The loudest boo I have ever heard was at the Asian Cup final when he was introduced before he presented the trophy. He seemed somewhat miffed that people were booing him.

Starting XI
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This will be sure the worst world cup ever, playing in November-December disrupting all football leagues. Playing in Disneyland build by slaves.

Life and death
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Truth be told you could question just about every location chosen to host over the last 50+ years.  Same with the Olympics, its just the way things are really. [Not saying it is right or fair - just the way it is]. Slightly off topic but the same as Aussies saying they won't go to Bali because of the death penalty but they probably would still travel to the US which also executes people. A dose of realism please people!!!!!

Phoenix Academy
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Nah, there's realism and then there's Qatar. I know about Godwin's Law and all that but it's not that far removed from playing the World Cup in Nazi Germany.

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I am all for protests about Qatar at the U20 World Cup.

FIFA is rotten to the core.

Sepp Blatter and his cronies are allowing the slavery, abuse and exploitation to continue by failing to act.

If we are silent "because we don't want to upset anybody during an Under 20 World Cup in our country" we are complicit in the same way anyone at FIFA who is in turning a blind eye to the slavery, abuse and exploitation happening in Qatar.

Not protesting is the same as approving of it.

I am all for, for example, a group of us wearing white T shirts under our tops with a single black letter on the front each t shirt spelling out "STOP FIFA SLAVERY IN QATAR"

Or something similar... like:

"BLATTER APPROVES OF SLAVERY IN QATAR"

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I'm pretty keen to offset my contribution to FIFA's ridiculous coffers in some way like that Brandon.

WeeNix
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More Media exposure to this shame will exploit Qatar. I've seen a couple of news clips so the more pressure they apply (media) the better. It's sad cause I heard radio sports speak to the lady who is trying to make some noise about this. apparently alot of workers are from Nepal and the Qatar officials would not release the workers to go back home to see there families in the recent earthquakes. 

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apparently alot of workers are from Nepal and the Qatar officials would not release the workers to go back home to see there families in the recent earthquakes. 

Of course they won't release them to go home...

... if they do not only will they not come back - who would viluntarily return to slavery conditions, but they will talk loudly and openly in Nepal about how horriffic their experience was, and how the promised contracts were a lie, and that will result in the supply of gullible Nepalese workers they can exploit drying up.

If I was them, exploitiung and absuing workers like they are I'd be damned if I would release them too.

All of which is why we MUST protest.

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But then attending the games is a bit of having your cake and eating it too ? Filling FIFA'S coffers.

Protesting inside a stadium will get no mainstream  coverage. Host broadcasters under strict orders what they can and can't show.

Would have thought you would get more mileage outside the stadium?

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sthn.jeff wrote:

But then attending the games is a bit of having your cake and eating it too ? Filling FIFA'S coffers.

This is true, but I would suggest going to the games and showing some degree of protest sends a much stronger message than a boycott which will make much less difference to FIFA. Also, New Zealand won this tournament fairly (I assume) and have not enslaved people to build the stadiums so as football fans we should get along and enjoy it. As much as I would love for my attendance to not involve giving FIFA money, I just don't see myself successfully sneaking in.

Protesting inside a stadium will get no mainstream coverage. Host broadcasters under strict orders what they can and can't show.

There will be much more media inside than out, and the more people who are displaying some sort of message, the more chance of it being caught in the broadcast.

Would have thought you would get more mileage outside the stadium?

I doubt it. You're not likely to get people to choose at the last minute to turn around, and like I mentioned above there will be far more people and cameras inside.

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Disrupting the tournament or punishing the teams and New Zealand by not going in would send the wrong message and could erode public sympathy for the campaign. Going in, enjoying the game and displaying messages educates the public, gets the word out, and if enough people do it it will be noticed. This is what the International Trade Union Confederation is calling on us to do, as I understand it. 

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Truth be told you could question just about every location chosen to host over the last 50+ years.  Same with the Olympics, its just the way things are really. [Not saying it is right or fair - just the way it is]. Slightly off topic but the same as Aussies saying they won't go to Bali because of the death penalty but they probably would still travel to the US which also executes people. A dose of realism please people!!!!!

You can question a lot of the venues, sure. In Brazil you had a World Cup which was poorly prepared and cost too much money for that country to afford. The difference is that in Brazil about 8 people died (

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/09/wo... In Qatar we are talking about 4,000. The Qatar World Cup is basically modern day slavery. In Brazil those 8 people appear to have been Brazilian people and it was Brazilian money which went into paying for it. 

As for USA and Indonesia, I would still happily travel to either but there are clearly differences in the way that those countries conduct justice. You just have to look at the role of juries, method of execution and what you have to do to get yourself executed.


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be BLack and/or poor Ryan?

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Shameless self-promotion but this guest post on my blog by Helen Kelly is a good summary of what's happening in Qatar if people want to read something more accessible than the Burrow interview: 

http://in-the-back-of-the.net/2015/04/15/guest-post-no-world-cup-without-workers-rights/

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foal30 wrote:

be BLack and/or poor Ryan?

General left-wing crap.

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I do detect a degree of hypocracy from some of you.

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how so? You think they're using slaves to build stadiums too?

Opinion Privileges revoked
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Let's face it, opposing slavery is "general left-wing crap". 

But any fule know that all the Gulf oil states operate like this - the actual locals live lives of ease while bonded immigrant labour does all the actual work and is deprived of all human rights in return for a bare living. I'm in favour of a campaign, but what are we protesting in particular - Qatar's slave-labour regime or FIFA corruption? Mixing the two up will lead to a confusing public message.

WeeNix
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Does it really matter if its left wing or right wing, its disgusting.

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You can follow Seep Blatter on Twitter: @SeppBlatter

He's been gobsmacking today:

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I think the point of a campaign would be to raise awareness about the kafala system in the Gulf States by highlighting the fact that Qatar 2022 is being built on the back of slave labour and FIFA could stop this if they wanted to but they choose not to. That's the narrative. The boiled down messages that the ITUC are using (not that we have to follow suit if we have better ideas) are "don't shame the game" and "no World Cup without workers' rights" - that's the global campaign that already exists.

Starting XI
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Go to Qatar and protest if you feel strongly about it. Or dont watch the World Cup when it is on

Bandwaggoning I reckon

Marquee
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Given that Sepp says ALL discrimination will not be tolerated - that's huge news - gay people will apparently be welcome in Russia2018 and Qatar2022!
Listen here Fudgeface
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bwtcf wrote:
Given that Sepp says ALL discrimination will not be tolerated - that's huge news - gay people will apparently be welcome in Russia2018 and Qatar2022!
Sepp doesn't set the laws of the countries though. 

Actually that's not quite true, he only does it when he needs a law change to keep the sponsors happy.


WeeNix
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I for one will watch the World Cup I love football.FIFA run the game they don't own it. as for the slave like condiitions well you could also blame the governments. Look at NZ trying to get a free trade deal in Saudi Arabia. 

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I find similarities in blaming Holden for a person that drives like a maniac...

I agree with Hepatitis

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patrick478 wrote:

bwtcf wrote:
Given that Sepp says ALL discrimination will not be tolerated - that's huge news - gay people will apparently be welcome in Russia2018 and Qatar2022!
Sepp doesn't set the laws of the countries though. 

Actually that's not quite true, he only does it when he needs a law change to keep the sponsors happy.


Exactly.

He will do it when it affects his revenue stream - over the all important issue of beer for spectators - sorry I mean beer sales for his sponsor, but he won't do it when it involves 4,000 slaves dying in the construction of the stadia.

That's obscene.

THAT's the point of the protest.

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I for one will watch the World Cup I love football.FIFA run the game they don't own it. as for the slave like condiitions well you could also blame the governments. Look at NZ trying to get a free trade deal in Saudi Arabia. 

I have already said I will watch it too. The whole proposal involves watching it, and protesting.

You say you could also blame the governements. I do. 

However that does not mean this should not be protested. You can do both, sorry all threee - attempt to hold FIFA to account, complain to your government, AND attend the football. Which is exactly what I am proposing.

Phoenix Academy
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Jeff Vader wrote:

I find similarities in blaming Holden for a person that drives like a maniac...

I agree with Hepatitis

Would you say that if the World Cup was being held in apartheid South Africa?

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Jeff Vader wrote:

I find similarities in blaming Holden for a person that drives like a maniac...

I agree with Hepatitis

That doesn't make sense. Holden can't stop people misusing their cars, and where they can add safety mechanisms. FIFA could stop the use of slaves to build stadia in Qatar, but choose not to.
WeeNix
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I could do with a few slaves at my place, I tell you......renovating is a bastard, so a few experienced (bonded) workers wouldn't go astray

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Marquee
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Making light of thousands of workers dying in appalling conditions thousands of kilometres from their families; that's one hell of a first post.

Listen here Fudgeface
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Rusty Dunks wrote:

I could do with a few slaves at my place, I tell you......renovating is a bastard, so a few experienced (bonded) workers wouldn't go astray

We have a rule on these forums that says "think before you post". I suggest you do exactly that before making another post like this one.

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