Gary Lineker says he is in Qatar to “report, not support” the World Cup and will discuss the issues surrounding the “tainted” tournament on air. Lineker said there was an “uneasy feeling” surrounding the tournament. “That’s our job to come and report it and show people what it’s about at home and hopefully in a fair way,” he said. Speaking to BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Match of the Day presenter Lineker said: “There are important issues around this World Cup, obviously with human rights issues, what happened with the building of the stadiums and workers’ rights, the homophobia and various things. they have here. “I’m used to it as I’ve spent most of my life in the build-up to World Cups talking about things other than football, but when the football starts you tend to stop talking about it. But that’s how sportswashing works. you must be careful.” Qatar has been accused of sportswashing – the act of using sport to improve a country’s reputation and project a positive image – but World Cup organizers have promised transparency and participation. Referring to Russia’s invasion of Crimea before the last World Cup in 2018, ex-England captain Lineker added: “I felt we had been overtaken by sport in Russia. I don’t think the world stood up for what had happened in Crimea, and that includes me. . “It didn’t seem like people objected as much as they did to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. You learn lessons. This is the World Cup. It’s here and we’re here to report on the World Cup, not to support it. We’ll raise the issues and will talk about them. “Whether that makes any difference here, I suspect it won’t, but I think it’s important to talk about the different issues that are going on, as well as football.” Lineker, who was top scorer at Mexico 86, arrived in Qatar on Friday and said he felt “almost surreal” with the start of the World Cup just two days away, adding that it was “very different” to previous editions of the tournament. Peaceful protests are planned by some players, while England’s Harry Kane, Wales’ Gareth Bale and eight other European team captains will wear ‘One Love’ armbands, to promote diversity and inclusion in a country where homosexuality is illegal. But Lineker says the players at the World Cup “can’t win” whether they choose to speak out against Qatar or not. “It’s a fine balance between sports washing and trying to make a difference. We’re going to address the issues we’re dealing with, but is it really going to make a difference?” he said. “We don’t and footballers don’t ask us where the World Cup is. Football players can never win, if you talk and take a stand people say stay in football. “If you don’t say anything, they say why don’t you talk? And we don’t necessarily have that in other sports. “I know it’s global, but it’s the same as talking about footballers’ salaries. People always talk about footballers being overpaid, but they don’t talk about film stars or singers or golfers or Formula 1 drivers and I think it’s an element of these working-class lads are a little above their station. Even if it’s subconscious.”
“Lack of self-awareness” by FIFA
Qatar were awarded the World Cup in 2010, a decision Lineker says was “unfathomable”. The decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively has been accused of widespread corruption, with two investigations launched by Swiss prosecutors and the US Department of Justice in 2015. Qatar and Russia have always denied any wrongdoing, and both were effectively cleared by FIFA’s own investigation in 2017. At the time, then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter supported the bid, but now says it was a “mistake” to award the World Cup to the Arab nation. Earlier in November, FIFA wrote to all 32 competing nations telling them to “now focus on football” after the controversial gathering. “It was a real lack of self-awareness from FIFA to say that,” Lineker said. “We’ve all seen the documentaries now, even though we felt it then. “Most of the people who were involved in the decision to bring the World Cup here are in jail or kicked out by FIFA or fined or banned, so we all know. We’re stuck with it, but I guess we’ll try to make the most of it.” He added: “It has a cost that should not have been paid. It’s on my mind when we’re talking about it and setting the issues, which we’re going to do on TV. “When there’s a football match, I’ll be watching the football match, but at the same time our thoughts will be with those who lost their lives. How can you forget that?” Get your daily dose of FIFA World Cup reaction, discussion and analysis with World Cup Daily on BBC Sounds
