Qatar emir slams unprecedented campaign against World Cup hosts

Visitors pose for photos with a FIFA World Cup sign in Doha on October 25, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup football tournament. Pic/AFP

Qatar has been hit by an "unprecedented campaign" of criticism over the football World Cup, its ruler said Tuesday, lashing out at "double standards" in a fierce rebuttal just weeks before the tournament starts.

The energy-rich and conservative Islamic Gulf state has spent tens of billions of dollars on hosting the first World Cup on Arab soil, but has faced mounting attacks over its human rights record. In a rare public airing of frustration, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Qatar was the victim of "fabrications", hinting at hidden motives behind the criticism.

"Since we won the honour of hosting the World Cup, Qatar has been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has faced," he said in a speech to the country's legislative council, 26 days from the November 20 kick-off. FIFA awarded the World Cup to an Arab country for the first time after a contentious bidding process in 2010.

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