Human Rights Violations Continue as Qatar 2022 Approaches

Two years ago Soccer Walks NYC wrote a blog post entitled: Why the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is a disgrace - Qatartroversy. It basically outlined the controversies surrounding FIFA’s awarding of the 2022 World Cup to the tiny gulf nation. These included:

• Human Rights violations within the country

• The exploitation of migrant workers compared to modern-day slavery

• No football history

• The fact that the entire football world is being forced to reconfigure their schedules. In order to accommodate Qatar, FIFA is moving the World Cup from summer to winter due to the intense heat in Qatar.

The UK’s Guardian has been following the ongoing human rights violations in Qatar since the 2010 announcement my FIFA.

In a recent article, the Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar since it was awarded the World Cup. This averages out to 12 workers from these five south Asian nations dying each week since December 2010.

It’s believed the death toll is even higher as the deaths from a number of countries that send large numbers of workers to Qatar, including the Philippines and Kenya are not included.

The need for laborers is due to the fact that Qatar had no infrastructure capable of holding the world’s largest sporting event. The country’s building program includes seven new stadiums, a new airport, roads, public transport systems, hotels, and a new city, which will host the World Cup final.

Responding to the Guardian’s report, a spokesperson for FIFA, said it is fully committed to protecting the rights of workers on FIFA projects.

A number of countries have voiced their concerns over the issue of human rights in Qatar.

This week the Norway national team wore t-shirts bearing the slogan “Human rights – on and off the pitch”. This was in response to a debate in Norway about whether the Norwegian Football Federation should boycott the 2022 World Cup.

The Dutch national team is committed to highlighting the mistreatment of migrant workers in Qatar. Coach Frank de Boer said at a news conference this week, "A lot of attention is now focused on whether we should go there if we qualify. It is right to ask that question ... Everyone knows that what is happening there is not good".

Last month, the English Football Association announced that it will raise human rights abuses and homophobia issues with the Qatar FA after signing a memorandum of understanding with the hosts of the 2022 World Cup.

Amnesty International has been reporting on human rights violations in Qatar for years. In fact, in a report entitled Qatar World Cup of Shame, it details the full list of abuse that migrant workers have been subjected to.

Amnesty International recently sent a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In it, they called for FIFA to live up to its responsibilities to prevent, mitigate and remedy human rights risks connected to the tournament, and to “use the full extent of its influence” to urge Qatar to fulfill its program of labor reforms before the World Cup kicks off.

The controversies and problems surrounding FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar have been going on for well over a decade now. Expect the conversations to get louder and more frequent as the dates for the tournament get closer.

The New York area's history in the US Open Cup

 The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world.  The US Open Cup dates back to 1914 when it was known as the National Challenge Cup. The first cup was won by the Brooklyn Field Club 2-1 over Brooklyn Celtic.

Back then it was a competition open to amateur clubs as well as professional teams. It was modeled after the English Football League’s FA Cup which began in 1872.

In 1999 the official name for the tournament was changed to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Hunt had spent his life promoting soccer. He was one of the founders of the American Football League, Major League Soccer, and the North American Soccer League.

Brooklyn Hispano with the 1944 US Open Cup Trophy

Over the years the New York area has produced 26 US Open Cup Champions including:

• Greek American AA (4)

• New York Pancyprian-Freedoms (3)

• Brooklyn Hispano (2)

• Brooklyn Italians (2)

• New York Americans (2)

• Brookhattan

• Brooklyn Field Club

• Brooklyn St. Mary's Celtic

• Eintracht

• New York German–Hungarian

• Krete

• New York Hota

• New York Hakoah

• New York Hungaria

• New York Nationals

• New York Ukrainians

• Robins Dry Dock

• Rochester Rhinos

• While there have been a number of back-to-back winners, the only New York area club to win three straight years is still the New York Greek Americans who were champions from 1967-1969.

MLS teams have dominated the tournament since they began participating in 1996.

The 107th edition of the tournament scheduled for 2020 was expected to include 100 clubs. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic caused its cancellation. It was the first time in 106 years that the US Open Cup was not contested.

In total, the New York region has hosted 27 US Open Cup finals at various venues, that no longer exist, including Starlight Park, Triborough Stadium, Dexter Park, the Metropolitan Oval, the Polo Grounds, and Ebbets Field. Despite this, a New York City-based club has not won the Open Cup since 1991, when the Brooklyn Italians defeated the Richardson Rockets. The last time a local club reached the final was 2003 when the MetroStars (now known as the New York Red Bulls) lost to the Chicago Fire.

Why do Americans call it Soccer and not Football?

It was my friends from England and Ireland that first got me into soccer. I used to meet up with them to watch matches from the English Premier League. It was through this experience that I became a fan. I’ve now been following the sport for quite a while and I’ve become accustomed to calling it football. I will admit that part of the reason for calling it football rather than soccer is so I don’t have to endure the bias towards Americans for trying to “Americanize” the English game.

I decided to do a bit of research as to why we began calling the sport Soccer rather than Football. Here’s what I found out:

Believe it or not, the term soccer actually comes from the other side of the Atlantic, not ours.

In 2014 University of Michigan professor Stefan Szymanski published a paper that explained that explains the origins of the term. As it turns out, the word was developed by the British. In fact, it was used widely in the UK until about 30-40 years ago when it was viewed as too American.

The story is that back in the mid-1800s a number of British universities played football and decided to standardize the rules for all. One version of the game was played using your hands and became known as “rugby football”. Another version was called "association football".

From there the British gave each version of the sport a nickname. "Rugby football" was shortened to "rugger" while "Association football" came to be called “soccer."‘

Eventually, both forms of the sport crossed the Atlantic. What was formally known as Association Football in the UK was simply called Soccer in the United States. The game known as “gridiron” in the UK was adopted and adapted to become what we now call football. In the UK it is known as “American football”.

According to Szymanski’s findings, the term soccer was still used regularly by the Brtish up until the early 1980s.

Since then, the word soccer in the UK is pretty much only used when referring to the US version of the game. Apparently many felt less British if they continued using the word soccer. Yes, it seems silly, but that’s the story.

In the end, Americans are not the only ones that do not call the sport football. In Canada, Australia, and New Zealand it’s soccer. In Italy it’s Calcio. In Japan, it’s sakkā which is derived from "soccer" and a number of other countries refer to the sport as something other than football or soccer.

Redditor reddripper put together the following excellent map of what "the beautiful game" is called around the world.

Soccer Memorabilia - What Kind Do You Have?

I was cleaning out my closet during this COVID lockdown and found something I had forgotten about. It was none other than a Freddie Ljungberg Corinthian football figure still in its box. It got me thinking about some of the soccer-related knickknacks that I’ve collected over the years.

Here in the states, it’s easy to find Lebron James, Tom Brady, or Steve Trout merchandise but finding souvenirs or collectibles from soccer leagues throughout the world is more difficult. Prior to the pandemic, I was a regular traveler and whenever I went to new countries, I would often look for soccer-related items to bring back home.

For example, I’ve been to Italy many times and have always had an interest in Calcio (that’s what the Italians call football/soccer). I’ve attended matches in Parma and Florence and found these experiences fantastic. The fans are so passionate. They sing, they cheer and for someone learning Italian, it’s a great way to immerse yourself in the language and culture. In addition to team scarves, I came across an Inter Milan “Mini Tifosotto” which is basically a bear wearing an Inter jersey who shouts GOAL when you press his belly. (Tifoso in Italian means “Fan”.)

I also found key chains of small bears wearing team jerseys that blow whistles and shout goal when a mini soccer ball touches its foot. I have an AC Milan Tifosotto and a Parma Tifosotto.

As an Arsenal supporter who has been to many matches in the UK, I have an abundance of Arsenal items including a soccer ball keychain, a football boot keychain, mugs, coasters, t-shirts, books, calendars and more. I even have an Arsenal leash for my dog.

I have jerseys and scarves from Greece, Italy, Morocco, Ireland, England, Turkey, and Portugal. I even have a vuvuzela, those annoying long plastic horns that can blow out your eardrums if you stand too close.

I’ve also kept the matchday programs from every game I’ve ever attended. The craziest one is from an FA Cup match at London’s Loftus Road between Queens Park Rangers and Huddersfield. The game was actually interrupted by an early January hailstorm.  

In looking at all of this “stuff” that I’ve accumulated over the years from the world of soccer, it got me thinking about what other fans have collected. So, let us know what you have collected. Share it with us. Send us a photo or just tell us about it. We’ll post it for the world to see!

Luckily I’ll spare you the details of my extensive baseball bobblehead collection as this is just about soccer!

The Premier League carries on despite new Coronavirus restrictions

When COVID-19 first became a global pandemic, soccer leagues throughout the world shut down (except of course for Belarus and Burundi, seriously). Many of these leagues returned to action over the summer, including the English Premier League.

The numbers in the UK are currently out of control and the entire UK is currently on lockdown. The headline from Wednesday, January 13th reported that the UK had recorded its highest daily deaths since the pandemic started.

Despite strict rules that have been in place, there have been many COVID outbreaks at a number of Premier League clubs. There have also been way too many reports of players flagrantly breaking the rules about social gathering and travelling.

The most recent outbreak is with Aston Villa where 10 players and four staff members tested positive and were forced in to self isolation.

Last week the league issued strict warnings to the league’s clubs and players about on field celebrations. This included no hugging, high fives or handshakes.

Over the weekend, players at several clubs, Sheffield United, Manchester United and Everton, ignored these warnings during matches and did their usual celebrations.

Today the British government has put out further warnings telling the players they must follow the coronavirus rules.

The announcement was put out by Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston. In a Twitter post, he said 'Everyone in the country has had to change the way they interact with people and ways of working. Footballers are no exception. Covid secure guidelines exist for football. Footballers must follow them and football authorities enforce them - strictly.'

Many managers have expressed concern that it will be difficult to control the on field actions of their players. At the same time, referees will be asked to remind players of their responsibilities.

There have been calls for the league to shut down again, but government officials want to avoid this. English football is one of the only things currently available to people to watch live on television and people are currently prohibited from doing much else. Soccer is the national pass time and provides the people with a form of sport entertainment.

The new restrictions include mask wearing at all times in indoor areas at the training ground, the use of three buses when travelling to ensure social distancing, limited physio treatment at training grounds and restricting indoor meetings.

What are your thoughts on the continuation of the English Premier League while COVID cases have risen in the UK? Should the league be shut down? Should players that break the rules by socializing in large groups be punished?

Let us know what you think.

Soccer is thriving in Manhattan at Pier 40

The borough of Manhattan is a concrete jungle which makes finding a place to play soccer difficult. There are parks and fields within the city where games are played, but at the present time, one of the best spots has is at Pier 40 along the Hudson River.

Looking at Pier 40 from the outside, you wouldn’t suspect that this was the home to numerous leagues and clubs throughout the city. That’s because Pier 40 was built in 1962 for the Holland America Cruise Line. The complex also includes a large public parking lot which is what you see when looking at the facility from street level.

Inside Pier 40 it’s a different story. The rooftop and lower courtyard areas are covered with artificial turf and are used for both youth and adult soccer leagues. It’s estimated that over 200,000 people use the fields each year. The area is also used for recreational summer camps and year round instructional programs.

One league that calls Pier 40 Home is Downtown United Soccer Club. They recently announced the kick off to their new season with a tribute to Pier 40:

𝙋𝙄𝙀𝙍 40 𝙃𝘼𝙎 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙁

Today we kick off our new season with an 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚 to a pitch like no other. A new generation of ballers will write their own stories on this pitch and the City of Dreams will be watching. pic.twitter.com/rZ8lS5l8WI

— DUSC (@DowntownUtdSC) September 8, 2020

Pier 40 does have its problems, however. The building is an eyesore and is falling apart in some areas. For these reasons Pier 40 For All has been created by members of the community and those that use the fields at Pier 40. It’s mission states:

Pier 40 For All is a coalition for neighbors and community groups who are working together to make sure that as Hudson River Park is finished, Pier 40 is transformed into a beautiful, environmentally conscious space that fits the needs of our local community, expands and improves our sports fields, and supports the park with appropriately scaled commercial uses.

We’ll follow any developments on the future of soccer at Pier 40.

Fans are allowed back in Japan but with restrictions

Sports fans have been putting up with what is now known as “the new normal” for six months and counting.

The good news is that sports have returned but without fans and without the normal atmosphere that a full stadium brings to a match. Instead cardboard cut outs and piped in crowd noises have become the norm for fans watching from home.

Even better news is that some leagues and teams in various sports have begun to allow fans back into stadiums. One example is Japan’s top flight soccer league, the J-League

Like leagues throughout the world, the J-League suspended play in March. Matches were allowed to begin again on June 27th. There have been isolated cases of players testing positive, but the league has carried on.

The government decided to start allowing fans to return in early July with a limit of up to 5,000 fans per match. There are also restrictions on what those in attendance can do. Alcohol sales are prohibited which is not surprising. What is interesting is that initially clapping, chanting, cheering, singing, and drumming were not allowed. (Recently the league decided that clapping would be allowed as it is low risk for spreading the virus and will now be allowed.)

In a recent New York Times article here’s what the writer observed at a recent F.C. Tokyo home match:

• When the fans applauded a great play it made the match feel more like a symphony concert than a soccer game.

• Everyone that attended the match had to have a temperature check prior to entering the stadium.

• Throughout the stadium there were markers on the ground reminding fans to social distance when lining up to buy food or souvenirs.

• Every other row in the stadium was kept empty and each ticketed spectator had two empty seats to their right and to their left (this included people from the same family).

• The area of the stands usually filled with away fans was totally empty.

• Those in attendance had to provide their names and contact information for contact tracing purposes.

The J-League is going to reevaluate its policy on fan attendance at the end of September to see if more fans will be allowed to return to matches.

Here in the states Dallas, Sporting Kansas City, Orlando City SC and Real Salt Lake have received permission from local governments to allow a limited amount of fans in to their stadiums..

Sporting KC CEO Jake Reid was asked whether it was worth it to open the stadium for a small number of spectators. His reply was, "Finances aren't driving much of major league sports at this point." It appears the real priority is trying to restore some sense of normalcy to the games.

Hopefully we’ll be able to return to a “real normal” in the near future. In the meantime it’s a strange scene inside soccer stadiums throughout the world.

What do you think about the current state of things with regards to fan attendance?

What do you think of the return of soccer without fans?

When the Coronavirus hit, the immediate lock down was tough. In addition to all the uncertainty and changes in daily life, the loss of live sports proved a major challenge for fans.

The Bundesliga was the first of the major European soccer leagues to return and I decided to check it out. I’m not a big fan of the German league but it was great just to be able to see a live match. However, it was really odd to watch a game without fans, muted celebrations and an overall sterile environment. Even creepier are the cardboard cutouts of fans’ faces.

I’m an Arsenal fan so when the Premier League began anew in mid June I was thrilled. In fact, with all the leagues trying to finish their respective seasons quickly, it’s been a virtual football fest for the past month. There are games on almost every day. It’s been great.

The broadcast networks decided to incorporate taped recordings of crowd noise to give the games a bit of validity. I wasn’t sure about it in the beginning, but when I did have the chance to watch a match with no sound, except for the players and coaches, it was almost eerie. That’s when I decided that I’d rather have the taped crowd noise when watching these closed door matches. Noting has been normal since March so a bit of forced reality is welcome.

Having attended many matches over the years, it’s sad to know that the usual atmosphere will be missing from stadiums until the world gets this virus under control.

What are your thoughts on the restart and the safety protocols the leagues have set up?

Will Qatar 2022 happen as planned?

Qatar is on my mind recently. I booked a flight last week to Africa on Qatar Airways and two days later I met a lovely family currently living in the country along the Arabian Peninsula. Being a football fan, I asked about the next World Cup. He assured me that the country is ready, the stadiums are beautiful and he is expecting the games to be successful. Personally, I’m still skeptical and think the situation is ridiculous.

Since the announcement that FIFA had awarded the 2022 games to the tiny gulf nation, there’s been nothing but controversy and confusion surrounding the games. These issues include, the exploitation of migrant workers, Qatar’s human rights violations, including its stance on homosexuality, the fact that alcohol is banned, the country has no real football history, the nation’s intense heat has led to the entire soccer/football world being forced to alter their domestic seasons in order to accommodate the tiny nation. Every previous World Cup has been held during the summer when most leagues are in their off season. Qatar 2022 is planned for the winter. Basically it was a corrupt decision on FIFA’s part which was made due to bribery.

I still think there’s a possibility that Qatar will be stripped of the games.

Last month, tensions between Iran and the US rose when a US drone strike killed an Iranian military leader. Iran retaliated and the idea of travelling to Qatar for the World Cup started to look less appealing.

In fact, the US Men’s team was planning a three week training camp in Qatar. That was cancelled after the US government issued warnings for Americans to avoid that part of the world.

As of now the games are still planned for November and December 2022 in the Middle East. I am hoping that FIFA realizes its mistake and moves the games to a more deserving and stable part of the world.

What are your thoughts on Qatar 2022?

Being a supporter as well as a fan; sometimes you have be both

I have been a fan of Arsenal Football Club since 1999 and during this period the team has been one of the most successful clubs in the Premier League. In the early days the top four teams were Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. The rest of the league were also rans.

Times have changed and so has the league. Instead of a top four, the pundits now speak of a top six. In addition to the above mentioned sides the group now includes Tottenham and Manchester City. Tottenham have improved significantly in recent years and have finished above Arsenal the last three seasons (prior to this Arsenal always finished higher than their North London rivals). Younger fans may not know that Manchester City once bounced between leagues and were the second team in Manchester. That all changed when Sheikh Mansour purchased the floundering team in 2008 and turned them in to a powerhouse team.

Arsenal are currently experiencing a rough patch. They have finished outside of the top four the last three seasons and have found life after 22 year manager Arsene Wenger difficult at best.

Wenger’s replacement, Unai Emery, was fired last week after 18 months in the job. Proving how stable Arsenal had been, this was the first time in my fandom witnessing the manager of my side get the ax. To get an idea of how rare this is, check out this article about the number of managers other Premier League sides have had over the years.

While watching the team you support underachieve is not fun (I am also a fan of the New York Mets and Jets so I am used to underachieving) seeing the negativity from so called supporters is deflating. The abuse and vitriol being stirred up by supposed fans is only making the situation more dispiriting.

I of course want to see the team get back to being a dominating side. However, to me being a supporter and a fan go hand in hand. Yes, fans have the right to voice their opinions, but if you’re a fan you should support your team through the bad times as well as the good times. There are no guarantees in being a fan. There will be highs and sadly there will be lows. If you’re a true fan, you’ll take the ride with your team and stay with them all the way.