The Doha Diary: Al Khater and Qataris are done with pretending they care about others
'DEATH IS A NATURAL PART OF LIFE': Nasser al-Khater, the chief executive of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 organisation. Pic: KARIM JAAFAR / AFP
Didier Deschamps was among those who on Friday extended his condolences to the family of the migrant worker who died while trying to fix a light at Saudi Arabia’s base camp here.
Which again put the callous comments of the Qatar World Cup CEO the previous day into further shameful light.
It’s worth remembering that Nasser Al Khater is supposed to be the media-savvy, friendly face of the host nation. Advised by an army of PR experts being paid eye-watering sums, Al Khater appeared offended to even be asked about the tragedy and responded that “death is a natural part of life”.
This is the same man who earlier this year chided Gareth Southgate’s mild criticism of Qatar and said he should “pick his words carefully”. It’s likely that Al Khater didn’t stumble though. The Qataris are just done with pretending they care about others or cared about what we think…even when we think they’re heartless bastards.
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The Emir was out of town Friday, jetting to neighbouring Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh-Gulf-China Summit for Cooperation and Development as the pace of political play continues to be as swift as anything served up by Kylian Mbappé.
But that was not before the Qatari leader handed out the gongs at the Anti-Corruption Excellence Awards in Doha the previous night. Yes, we’re tired but we can assure you that none of the above is a typo.
Seven winners received prizes and, ahem, cash “in recognition of their work to fight corruption”. Gianni Infantino attended too because when we’re this far through the looking glass, why the hell not? No prizes for FIFA though.
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France captain Hugo Lloris took one for the team and stepped up to the mic yesterday where one of the first questions asked was “You’ve been there a long time, what’s the most English thing about you?” The Spurs goalkeeper, in his 11th Premier League, season pondered and said “my two daughters. They were born in England and go to a school in England…but in the French education system.” Not very English at all then. As it should be.
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With fitting hubris, FIFA announced the release of their official 2022 World Cup soundtrack on Friday, a week before the tournament is over.
The first time they’ve ever compiled a full album’s worth of music for a tournament, the soundtrack has been piped into every last corner of Doha over the past three weeks. The international press, it’s safe to say, have had their fill.
At 10-minute intervals, one Dutch journalist spent the guts of an hour whistling one of the catchier tunes, Dreamers, in the media centre on Thursday evening. An unnamed member of the Irish press pack was ready to take interventionist action until being talked out of it. Just eight days to go.
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One small query about Moroccan coach Walid Regragui: does he want to hog the limelight too much? For his last three eve-of-battle press conferences he has brought along uncapped teenage winger Bilal El Khannous, backup goalie Munir Mohamedi and on Friday, third-strong keeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti. Understandably, this has meant all of the questions come the manager’s way.
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