Although, some of the pre-World Cup criticism casting doubts on Qatar’s ability to meet its pledge to deliver an amazing edition of the tournament have been silenced by the social media posts by international fans in Qatar, there are still some minority voices which air blatant racist remarks against Arabs and Arab culture through social media. As old habits die hard, there will always be some black sheep somewhere.
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani wrapped the traditional bisht around Argentina captain Messi during the World Cup closing ceremony.
Giving the bisht (a traditional Arab cloak) to a guest is a sign of great honour in Arab culture. Bisht is viewed as a sign of appreciation and respect and is typically worn by top officials such as politicians, sheikhs and other high-status individuals.
Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general of Qatar’s World Cup organising committee, said: “It is a dress for an official occasion and worn for celebrations. This was a celebration of Messi. The World Cup had the opportunity to showcase to the world our Arab and Muslim culture. This was not about Qatar, it was a regional celebration.”
To say that it ruined the ceremony is racist and exposes the commentator's scant knowledge about the region's traditions. Imagine if Lionel Messi was gifted the Kimono or a British order knighting robe, or an African hat, no one would have written a word against it. The football legend Pele wore a Mexican hat when he won the World Cup in 1970 and no one said it ruined the moment. Arabs wear western clothes at ceremonies and all the time. We saw on social media images of the Argentine ambassador to Turkey wearing the Qatari bisht during the celebration of his country's victory in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The World Cup 2022 tournament was an occasion for mutual acceptance, cultural exchange and tolerance. This is exactly what almost all the fans experienced in Qatar during the tournament. The false image and stereotype disseminated for many years before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 have been debunked. The true and real history of the Arabs and the Arab culture have unfolded before an impressive figure of 3,404,252 fans and about 5 billion people around the world, who according to a FIFA estimate watched the Qatar World Cup 2022. In addition to the 1.8mn fans who attended the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha and enjoyed the live broadcasts of games and the free entertainment featuring some of the most famous names around the world are going to be the ambassadors of the Arab culture in their respective countries.
HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad al-Thani said in a debate on al-Kass TV channel: “We do not wait for the West to approve our ambitions and dreams.” Qatar has delivered its pledge with outstanding standards, from the state-of-the-art stadiums, the remarkable free transportation arrangements, the best safety and security, to the carnival-like atmosphere, the warmth and hospitality of the locals, the world-class events and activities lined up by the organisers which enthralled the fans.
