World News: In The Shadow Of Doha

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The recent Doha World Athletics Championships, held in the Persian Gulf, revealed an impossible climate to organize sports competitions and also the moral weakness of participating countries aware of multiple terror attacks sponsored by the host country on Qatar.

And if there is only one standing ... It may be only the stage Khalifa! After the joke, tinged with a bit of cynicism, it clearly appears on the sidelines of the World Championships that the prevailing climatic conditions challenge all the laws of the rationality.


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Not that Qatar is not able to accommodate technically such a manifestation but it is now obvious, for those who doubted it, that every human being a top athlete, cannot withstand the temperatures that crush the competitors who more is undergoing intense physical exertion.

Urbanized Desert

Secret of Polichinelle shout some rightly but passed this evidence remains to question the Qatar's choice to hold the unofficial anti-chamber athletics world of the next Football World Cup, which must also be held in Qatar, certainly in November 2022. The answer does not lie in the architecture or the aesthetics of the stadium, both of them bold but in the will of a Persian Gulf country to prove in the eyes of the world that oil does not is not the only asset of this piece of urbanized desert.


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And that stadiums, cities, roads, shopping malls and other amenities of any major developed country are allowed in what was long a vast expanse of sand beaten by the winds. Thus, thanks to its athletics world, Qatar is a real international player, the country having understood with justice and finesse how high-performance sport was a powerful political and diplomatic tool, especially when it comes with means almost unlimited financial resources. Because now it will be necessary to count with Qatar.

If until then doubt prevailed, doubt hardly shaken by the purchase in 2011 of Paris Saint Germain, this one has little reason to be so much the petromarchy has struggled to develop the image of an active country, imbued with contemporary modernity and ready to position itself great of this world.

Considerations and Transparency

Banishing the destination Qatar, here Doha, as have become New York, London or Paris such is the Qatari's ambition, even if it is at the cost of an attack on the environment as evidenced by Khalifa stadium air conditioning system that defies all the rules for gas emission at greenhouse effect.


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And obviously, Qatar, rightly or wrongly, seems to be making fun of this type of considerations as well as the working conditions of the workers employed in the construction of stadiums of the next Football World Cup. But these, so far, so transparent see their fate escape the pity of thoughtful corporations more concerned about the price of the last mobile phone only by their respective destinies.

And from then on emerge a real question of moral essence that combines respect for human dignity, human rights and the environment with regard to the current competition that will come to an end in a few hours. But once the conviction that many fundamental principles are flouted, who will dare to stand up to simply refuse to lend themselves to a parody of sports appointment dictated by the greed?


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Nobody knows. But perhaps when an athlete does not get up again, overwhelmed by the heat or the number of employees disappearing on construction sites will have reached intolerable heights, maybe then, maybe then, in indeed, someone will dare to whistle the end of the game.

 

 

Bio: Olivier Longhi has extensive experience in European history. A seasoned journalist with fifteen years of experience, he is currently professor of history and geography in the Toulouse region of France. He has held a variety of publishing positions, including Head of Agency and Chief of Publishing. A journalist, recognized blogger, editor and editorial project manager, he has trained and managed editorial teams, worked as a journalist for various local radio stations, a press and publishing consultant, and a communications consultant.