Paris have joined many other cities in France in a public TV boycott of the 2022 World Cup, reports The Guardian.
The World Cup in Qatar is less than seven weeks away. The tournament will kick off on November 20 with a fixture between the hosts and Ecuador, and will end on December 18.
However, the competition has been tainted by various issues. There were widespread allegations of bribery against Qatar in the bidding process, while Amnesty International have been highly critical of the Gulf state’s human rights record.
In protest against these controversies, the local authorities of Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, Reims, Nancy, and Rodez confirmed that they would not be publicly broadcasting the games on giant screens in ‘fan zones’. According to The Guardian, Paris will join these cities in the boycott.
A number of French public officials have condemned the tournament. Mayor of Marseille Benoit Payan described the World Cup as “a human and environmental disaster”, while Lille’s Mayor Martine Aubrey called it “a nonsense in terms of human rights, the environment and sport”.
This latest news comes as another blow to Qatar, who have already faced several protests over the years. During qualifying for the tournament, the likes of Germany, Netherlands, and Norway all wore shirts which shone a light on the country’s human rights record.
At the tournament, Denmark will wear symbolic, almost plain kits. Manufacturer Hummel emphasised that the “toned down” design of the shirts was a gesture against the hosts.
Meanwhile, a number of nations will wear armbands supporting the “OneLove” campaign for diversity and inclusion. The campaign was started by the Dutch, and will be adopted by England, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Wales this winter.
