Morgan Freeman, David Beckham and money ripped up in protest: What is happening in Qatar?

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The FIFA World Cup is officially underway. It's the world's biggest soccer event, and for the first time it's being hosted in the Middle East – Qatar to be exact.

Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup back in 2010.

But the problem is this: there's a long list of serious human rights atrocities associated with Qatar.

Firstly, it's illegal to be gay in Qatar – and it's considered a punishable offense. Just last month, a human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was stopped by police in Qatar while staging a protest against the Gulf state's criminalisation of LGBTQI+ people. Tatchell protested outside the National Museum of Qatar in the capital, Doha, and was carrying a sign which had the hashtag #QatarAntiGay.

Many LGBTQIA+ fans have said they no longer feel safe attending the World Cup – because not only would they not be able to share a room with their same-sex partner, but they could also face punishment and arrest.

And in the last day, FIFA had to outlaw the 'One Love' armbands that several football captains were wearing in support of the gay community – a decision likely enforced by Qatari government.

Another big issue is that thousands of migrant workers have allegedly died throughout the past decade building the infrastructure for the World Cup in unsafe conditions. This news was brought to light in a report by World Amnesty, which findings contrast to the official deaths released by Qatar officials.

With all this in mind, here are some of the biggest controversies in the wake of the World Cup now underway in Qatar.

David Beckham's controversial ambassador World Cup role.

It all began in late 2021, when it was confirmed that David Beckham was the face of the Qatar World Cup in a deal worth $277 million.

The former England captain's contract is worth £15 million per-year over the next decade to become the country's global ambassador.

At the time of the announcement, a source who worked on the deal said to The Sun: "David believes in Qatar's commitment to progress and that the World Cup – the first to be held in the Arab world – can bring significant positive change. He strongly believes in the power of football to bridge differences but, crucially, has seen the progress on issues that matter."

Unfortunately for David's PR team, many critics then pointed out that not much progress "on issues that matter" had actually been made. 

The 47-year-old is one of the main faces of the FIFA World Cup. And in the weeks leading up to the big event, Qatar has been busy promoting its ambassadorship with Beckham, and he has done the same. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Visit Qatar (@visitqatar)

The football legend recently delivered a message to supporters in Doha, telling young locals that "today is your day to dream". It's the first time he's publicly spoken about his role or spoken about Qatar in recent months.

"Almost two decades ago a small group of football lovers from Qatar had an equally fantastic dream – that they could bring the greatest footballing show on earth to their home country and to the Middle East for the very first time," referencing the moment Qatar won the opportunity to host the 2022 World Cup.

“Today is your day to dream”
Video message from Qatar World Cup ambassador David Beckham played to guests at Supreme Cttee youth festival event here in Doha pic.twitter.com/0KA1eNS9JP

— Dan Roan (@danroan) November 17, 2022

"Today is your day to dream. Because there are no limits to what you and your teammates can achieve in our beautiful game. Dreams can come true. You share Generation Amazing's twin passions for the game of football, and for making the world a more tolerant and inclusive place."

British comedian Joe Lycett's money-shredding protest against David Beckham.

In the wake of Beckham continuing on with his Qatar ambassadorship role, British comedian Joe Lycett organised a public stunt/protest to try and hold Beckham to account or get him to reassess his role.

Lycett published a video on his socials early last week calling for Beckham to withdraw from his role at the World Cup by Sunday. 

If Beckham pulled out as a Qatar World Cup ambassador before the start of the event, Lycett was offering to donate £10,000 of his own money to gay charities. If Beckham did not, the plan was to shred it, along with what Lycett called the former England captain's "status as gay icon".

"You were the first premiership football player to do shoots with gay magazines, to speak openly about your gay fans and you married a Spice Girl – which is the gayest thing a human being can do. But now it's 2022, and you have signed a reportedly £10 million deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the FIFA World Cup," Lycett said.

"Qatar is one of the world's worst places to be gay."

For context, Lycett himself is an openly pansexual man who has been a strong advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Unfortunately, Lycett did not receive a response from Beckham.

So the comedian 'shredded' his £10,000, and posted a video of him doing the powerful stunt on his Instagram.

A few hours later he confirmed that it had been a stunt, shredding fake money and instead donating the real £10,000 to LGBTQIA+ charities. But Lycett sure made a statement - and it had maximum impact.

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A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)

Celebs boycott the World Cup.

Multiple stars have expressed their concern of the World Cup, with some also having to confirm they're not involved in any way.

For example last week, Dua Lipa had to release a statement saying she was not asked to perform at the tournament and would not have done so regardless, amid rumours she would be performing.

"I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform. I will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup," she wrote in an Instagram story.

Dua Lipa clears rumors about performing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar.

‘I will not be performing & nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform [...] I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fullfilled all the human rights pledges it made’ pic.twitter.com/Ca7DA9H1bC

— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 13, 2022

Interestingly, Rod Stewart was invited to perform and offered a million-dollar check, but he turned it down due to the country's human rights record.

"It's not right to go," he said to The Sunday Times. "I was actually offered a lot of money, over one million, to play there 15 months ago. I turned it down."

Shakira was slated to perform but changed her mind at the last minute. According to Spanish news outlet El Programa de Ana Rosa, host Adriana Dorronsoro said: "It's been confirmed to me that Shakira will not perform at the opening ceremony, but they won't say if she will have another role throughout the World Cup."

Musicians who are confirmed for the FIFA Fan Festival over the next month are Sean Paul and Clean Bandit, while the Black Eyed Peas are also rumoured to perform.  

Former Spice Girls singer Melanie C also said in the Not My Bagg podcast that she feels "very uncomfortable" showing support for Qatar considering their treatment of gay people. Her comment came amid criticism of her former bandmate's husband, David Beckham, who remains an ambassador.

Morgan Freeman's role at the World Cup's Opening Ceremony.

The world was pretty stunned to see famed American actor Morgan Freeman at the World Cup's Opening Ceremony – let alone the fact he played a feature role in it.

The ceremony took place at Al Bayt stadium, 44km north of the capital, Doha. First was a message from Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Then the lights dimmed and three camels, dancers and a Qatari singer called "Dana" filed onto the stadium's pitch. Dana was wearing a traditional batola – a leather face-covering worn by many women in the Gulf region.

Then Morgan Freeman followed alongside Ghanim Al Muftah, a 20-year-old Qatari man who was born with a rare condition that impairs the development of the lower spine. Freeman sat on the pitch beside Al Muftah as part of the performance. 

Morgan Freeman at the World Cup opening ceremony! pic.twitter.com/5Yh8wp6CHQ

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 20, 2022

"How can so many countries, languages and cultures come together if only one way is accepted?" Freeman told the crowd. 

"When you call here, we welcome you into our home," Al Muftah said.

Freeman continued: "We gather here as one big tribe and Earth is the tent we all live in. Football spans the world, unites nations in their love of the beautiful game. What brings together nations also brings together communities. We all have a story on football and how it brought us together, and this land has a story of its very own."

Freeman's role in the Opening Ceremony has since been met with backlash.

For a man who played Nelson Mandela - who knew better than anyone the impact & importance of isolation on a country & its success on the ground to change that nation's policy - it is so disappointing to see #MorganFreeman take the money & support an oppressive regime😥 #Gutted

— Gary Webster (@RealGaryWebster) November 20, 2022

Another factor in Freeman's appearance making headlines was that of his left hand.

He was wearing quite a large tan-coloured glove – something he has worn since 2008, after he was involved in a serious car crash in Mississippi.

Freeman was badly injured when the car left the road, flipped several times and landed in a ditch. He was airlifted to hospital and left with a paralysed hand, despite having surgery to attempt to repair the nerve damage. He now wears the glove as a compression garment to keep the blood flow going. 

Singer Jungkook of K-pop boy band BTS also played a big role, joining Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi to perform 'Dreamers', a new tournament song.

The Qatari royals sat alongside other Arab leaders in a show of regional solidarity. There were no major Western leaders in attendance. Among those who did attend was United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

FIFA's response to the criticism. 

Rightly, FIFA – the organisers of the World Cup – were condemned for not only giving Qatar the World Cup opportunity a decade ago, but also not putting pressure on the country to do better on a human rights level in the lead-up.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino had an extraordinary hour-long monologue at a media conference in Doha on Saturday. During the conference, he said he related to Qatar's migrant workers because he was bullied as a child for having red hair and freckles.

"I know what it means to be discriminated, to be bullied, as a foreigner in a foreign country. As a child I was bullied because I had red hair and freckles, plus I was Italian, so imagine. What do you do then. You try to engage, make friends. Don't start accusing, fighting, insulting, you start engaging. And this is what we should be doing."

Infantino was born in Switzerland to Italian immigrant parents.

Infantino said westerners, in particular Europeans, had no right to criticise Qatar, which has been under fire for human rights abuses in the lead-up to the cup.

"For what we have been doing for 3000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3000 years before giving moral lessons. I have difficulties understanding the criticism ... we should all educate ourselves. Many things are not perfect but reform and change takes time," he said.

World Cup attendees realise the long list of restrictions, rules, and laws they're up against.

Along with homosexuality being outlawed across the country, there are a number of additional laws that have attendees concerned. 

Visitors to Qatar can also face harsh punishments for "indecent acts and the act of sexual intercourse outside of marriage," according to Qatari law.

Punishments range from a fine or six months imprisonment for anyone found to have committed "immoral" actions or gestures in public. There's also a threat of up to seven years in prison for someone having sex outside of marriage. Public debauchery can also carry a sentence of up to three years in prison.

Watch the US Embassy in Doha's warning video to US attendees. Post continues below.

If a pregnant fan goes to Qatar for the World Cup, they should be prepared to show a marriage certificate if they need prenatal care there, the US Embassy in Doha said.

Speech that's deemed 'critical' of the Qatari government can trigger an arrest. Those laws apply both to spoken words and social media, such as writing negative reviews.

As Islam is the official religion of Qatar, it's also prohibited to bring pork products into the country.

Last but not least, visitors to Qatar are asked to cover their shoulders, chests, stomachs and knees. The dress code applies to both men and women. 

Some accommodation options are pretty dire.

Qatar does have a wide range of lovely accommodation options – but the country and its infrastructure perhaps wasn't ready for the sheer influx of World Cup visitors.

When it comes to 'budget accommodation' options, lots of international fans have shared their frustration over what they've been given. Qatar had constructed several 'budget' fan villages out of shipping containers, with one room going for approximately $330 a night.

Some fans, mostly Welsh and English, have taken to social media to recount the conditions.

Two contractors who had been staying in the budget village accommodation told journalists it had been "hell" staying in the area.

"It has been hell. The aircon in the cabin barely works and sounds like a (fighter jet) is taking off. You can't have it on at night because it is so noisy," one contractor said. "I have never been somewhere so uncomfortable. The beds are rock hard."

We stayed in a World Cup fan camp in Qatar. pic.twitter.com/bO2qD2UHfu

— Emily Brooks (@emilyEBbrooks) November 20, 2022

At the final minute, booze has been banned – despite FIFA bosses assuring the world it would not happen.

Qatar has at the last minute issued a bigger ban on booze than fans and FIFA initially expected.

In Qatar, it is legal to drink alcohol but there is a large amount of regulation associated. Muslims are not allowed to drink, and it's only legal to consume alcohol in certain areas and spaces within the country – and those spaces are limited.

In FIFA's official fan guide, they said that fans would be able to purchase Budweiser (the tournament's sponsor), Budweiser Zero, and Coca-Cola products around stadiums for up to three hours before kick-off and for one hour afterwards.

On Friday, two days out from the World Cup's opening ceremony, the tension cracked. FIFA announced alcoholic beers would be banned in and around stadiums, though it would still be available in Fan Zones and other licensed premises.

It will also still be permitted for corporate sponsors and VIPs attending games.

And this was not great news for attendees. Budweiser are understandably not impressed either, and the sponsorship deal is now in debate. 

With a month left of the tournament to go, the world is watching to see if any further controversies pop up – and whether FIFA and the Qatari government address them. 

Feature Image: Getty/Mamamia.