Qataris want last minute alcohol ban at stadiums putting FIFA at risk of breaching Budweiser contract

[Barry Cartman]

24 minutes ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

These guys  

and looks like he's deleted his tweet now after realising you shouldn't be sourcing from a Reddit thread of an image no one else can verify 

It may well be real and someone has an internal document, but journalists shouldn't be sharing stuff like that unsourced 

[PaulHartman71]

Surely no way that happens. Even 30 seconds and tournament is ruined as journalists or people out there are leaking who has scored on the internet (would’ve said Twitter but, well… )

[Barry Cartman]

tbf a 3 minute delay would still be more live than watching a game on BBC iPlayer 

[GunmaN1905]

Honestly, I fully expect some kind of shambles of epic proportions, it's just bound to happen.

A game gets postponed, stopped or cancelled due to logistic failure.

[sc91]

22 minutes ago, Weezer said:

Really don’t think Qatar know what they’ve let themselves in for. Football fans aren’t your normal holiday makers and tourists. It’s a World Cup, they’re going to want to be rowdy. I’ve already seen videos from flights taking fans over and they’re in the aisles singing and cheering, they’re not going to suddenly become placid and respectful once the football starts.

The alcohol selling fan zones are going to be carnage  

Nah, won't be readily available gear in Qatar.

[DeafParrot]

1 minute ago, Barry Cartman said:

tbf a 3 minute delay would still be more live than watching a game on BBC iPlayer 

Dunno whats wrong with your iplayer.

[Weezer]

2 minutes ago, sc91 said:

Nah, won't be readily available gear in Qatar.

You can get anything you want there if you know the right people  

Though if a bunch of football fans on coke end up being lobbed in a Qatari jail I won’t be shedding many tears for them.

[sc91]

Just now, Weezer said:

You can get anything you want there if you know the right people  

Though if a bunch of football fans on coke end up being lobbed in a Qatari jail I won’t be shedding many tears for them.

Yeah, but not at a price that'll be going for the types that follow England away, plus most of the gear selling tends to be taken with from the UK or associates that operate within the host country. Qatar is risky. 

[Barry Cartman]

7 minutes ago, DeafParrot said:

Dunno whats wrong with your iplayer.

Last time I used it was the Euros and it was minutes behind 

[Crispypaul]

9 minutes ago, Barry Cartman said:

tbf a 3 minute delay would still be more live than watching a game on BBC iPlayer 

A 30 minute delay would be more live than ITV Player

[Weezer]

I’m interested to see if there’s going to be extra security compared to normal when I’m checking in and boarding my flight from London to Doha on Tuesday. It’s an evening flight too so most English fans will probably already be tanked up. I normally like to get to an airport early for a pre-flight drink but I might stay clear this time!

[Aitutaki]

Always the plan.

Wish Egypt or Morocco had been given the middle east world cup.  Wonderful football mad countries, but no oil money.

[m_fenton]

10 minutes ago, Barry Cartman said:

Last time I used it was the Euros and it was minutes behind 

I was watching live, but on the phone throughout with with a friend watching on iPlayer. It varied a bit each match, but seemed to be about 90 seconds behind the TV. We got in the habit of having me pause as kick off was taken, then pressing play as kick off was taken on iPlayer. Just meant I heard the goals go in from my neighbour's shouts instead 

[Aitutaki]

Oh it gets better:

Quote

'Those in corporate areas of stadiums at the tournament will still be able to purchase alcohol.'

Well done FIFA

[Barry Cartman]

 

[Rob1981]

We watch all of our TV through a Now TV stick because the aerial was falling down when we moved and I didn't think it was worth putting a new one up.  Absolute nightmare when the big tournaments come around.  Have to stay out of all the match threads and stay off Twitter because I am permanently about 5 minutes behind.

[Coulthard's Jaw]

1 hour ago, Rob1981 said:

Yes and no. Rightly or wrongly, alcohol is a huge part of fan culture all around the world. Otherwise Budweiser wouldn’t want to sponsor the thing in the first place. So it’s not just a slap in the face to the commercial partners, it’s a slap in the face to all the supporters that want to watch the football and also have a drink. Like they do every other week of the year.

You say selling beer isn’t essential. But if they want to host the World Cup, they are obliged to offer a ‘normal’ fan experience. Especially if they have said for months that this will be on offer, and then only changed their minds at the last minute once people have paid thousands to get out there.

So basically I agree with the second bit here, doing it at the last minute is obviously dumb and I imagine if FIFA were so inclined they would have a strong case for legal action. Qatar are doing this purely because they are powerful enough and rich enough to do what they want at this stage.

But I dunno, are we saying Islamic countries can never host the World Cup? I think as long as they are up front with it during the bidding process and it's a clean bidding process (big if!) then I don't have an issue with them winning hosting rights.

[Aitutaki]

3 minutes ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

But I dunno, are we saying Islamic countries can never host the World Cup? I think as long as they are up front with it during the bidding process and it's a clean bidding process (big if!) then I don't have an issue with them winning hosting rights.

Qatar essentially lied and said yes then no two days out.  In other Arabic countries (e.g. Egypt, Morocco etc) this wouldn't be a concern.

[decapitated]

On a related note:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11443185/World-Cup-FIFA-officials-told-hotel-isnt-ready-arrival-Qatar.html?

Quote

Qatar's World Cup organisers have reportedly been left red-faced after a luxury five-star hotel due to house top FIFA executives wasn't finished on time. Leading figures from world football's governing body, arriving in Doha a week before the beginning of the tournament, had been expecting to check in to the opulent Fairmont hotel located in the spectacular waterside Katara Towers. But a few days before their arrival, embarrassed local officials had to confess their accommodation wasn't quite ready and they would temporarily be moved to the Chedi Katara resort instead. Though the alternative hotel was similarly luxurious, the New York Times reported it was a 'dry' hotel that didn't serve alcohol, meaning the champagne could not flow in the exclusive FIFA Club.

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by decapitated

[Darius1998]

I doubt this would be an issue in Turkey or Central Asian countries either so not necessarily an issue with Islamic countries in general. Just the ones that are extremely authoritarian in nature.

[Wiggins Top Boys]

next you'l be telling me there'll be none of those white plastic garden chairs to throw around. ffs Qatar

[Coulthard's Jaw]

32 minutes ago, Wiggins Top Boys said:

next you'l be telling me there'll be none of those white plastic garden chairs to throw around. ffs Qatar

I've seen videos of the temp accommodation some of the fans are staying in, those are luxury armchairs, don't go damaging them!

[decapitated]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11442203/Qatar-want-alcohol-sales-World-Cup-stadiums-BANNED.html

 

Quote

Budweiser's owners have spoken for the first time since Fifa banned beer sales outside World Cup stadiums in an 11th-hour decision apparently motivated by pressure from Qatar's royal family. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the brewing giant which owns Bud and dozens of other beer brands, said it is still looking forward to 'celebrating football with our consumers' but some sales cannot go ahead due to 'circumstances beyond our control'. The short, terse statement was released hours after a cheeky tweet was posted to Budweiser's Twitter account saying 'well, this is awkward...' before it was deleted. InBev made no mention of possible legal action over the $75million deal it holds with Fifa, which gives it exclusive rights to sell beer at World Cup games. Doha could also be facing legal action, having signed contracts agreeing to 'respect Fifa's sponsors'.

Fans have been talking to the Mail about it and they aren't happy.

 

Quote

Fans in Qatar reacted with a mix of anger and resignation at the ban, with 25-year-old England supporter Alex Todd describing it as 'madness'. 'Why is the World Cup here when basic pleasures are taken from you,' he asked. 

Quote

German fan Daniel Schwestka, 30, from Dusseldorf, said: ‘Football without beer is not football.’ He added: ‘I go to many matches even in the third German leagues, and you can have a beer. It is normal to drink beer at football and this is the World Cup ‘When I arrived in Doha yesterday, I had two bottles of whiskey, my luggage and they took it from me at the airport. ‘I knew it was going be difficult to drink here. But how can they ban beer at the actual stadiums. It is ridiculous.'

I found this nugget in the article interesting/concerning:

 

Quote

Alcohol will only be served at certain times, and each person will be limited to four drinks to stop them from getting drunk. Anyone who does get drunk may be escorted away to sober up.

Are we going to see aggro in the fanzones when security (which may include armed members of Pakistani army according to media reports) starts snatching people as they seem 'drunk'?

 

[Weezer]

1 hour ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

But I dunno, are we saying Islamic countries can never host the World Cup? I think as long as they are up front with it during the bidding process and it's a clean bidding process (big if!) then I don't have an issue with them winning hosting rights.

If anything good comes out of this then hopefully it will be the end of the authoritarian Middle Eastern nations ever being able to host a global event ever again. Even though I’m going and am determined to have a good time I still hope more stuff like this blows up in their face. As long as it doesn’t cost me too much money….  

Qatar have been given a chance to show themselves in a good light and they constantly keep blowing sitter after sitter. Almost like they don’t give a ****….

[Weezer]

3 minutes ago, decapitated said:

Are we going to see aggro in the fanzones when security (which may include armed members of Pakistani army according to media reports) starts snatching people as they seem 'drunk'?

 

Tbf, and it’s still rubbish, this has been a thing in those countries since before any World Cup was proposed. Even though they’re generally a little more tolerant with tourists as long as they’re not being belligerent it has always been illegal to be drunk in public. It’s why if you go to a bar in Dubai or whatever you get straight into the waiting Uber to take you home instead of tottering around the streets.

[PaulHartman71]

6 minutes ago, decapitated said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11442203/Qatar-want-alcohol-sales-World-Cup-stadiums-BANNED.html

 

Fans have been talking to the Mail about it and they aren't happy.

 

I found this nugget in the article interesting/concerning:

 

Are we going to see aggro in the fanzones when security (which may include armed members of Pakistani army according to media reports) starts snatching people as they seem 'drunk'?

 

The issue they’ve got is the way they’ve gone about the bidding process and with things like the recent alcohol ban I don’t think the authorities or police etc will get any benefit of the doubt at all from the western media if some small or big incident does kick off at some point. 

Usually with football fans if something kicked off with police I don’t think people would immediately jump to it being dodgy, but with this even if they’re in the right to make an arrest a few drunk fans causing chaos or fighting etc it will be almost an international incident due to the increased coverage and perception. 

[Coulthard's Jaw]

Where are the fanzones? Like I am assuming they are pretty much in the middle of nowhere?

[Rob1981]

2 hours ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

Are we saying Islamic countries can never host the World Cup?

No.  We are saying that the World Cup comes with certain non-negotiables for the host countries.  Number of teams is X, number of stadiums required is Y, training and media facilities of Z.  And this should extend further to cover supporter experience - like same-sex couples being able to go to a game together and express who they are, or fans being able to get a bloody pint if they want one.

So if you want to bid for it, be prepared to carve out some exceptions from your usual cultural norms.  At least in limited ways in the stadiums and the fan parks if not across the country as a whole.  And if you can't do that, **** off and leave it to someone else.

[Crispypaul]

12 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

No.  We are saying that the World Cup comes with certain non-negotiables for the host countries.  Number of teams is X, number of stadiums required is Y, training and media facilities of Z.  And this should extend further to cover supporter experience - like same-sex couples being able to go to a game together and express who they are, or fans being able to get a bloody pint if they want one.

So if you want to bid for it, be prepared to carve out some exceptions from your usual cultural norms.  At least in limited ways in the stadiums and the fan parks if not across the country as a whole.  And if you can't do that, **** off and leave it to someone else.

Also, not in November and December, especially if you ******** by saying you will air condition the stadiums in summer

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/12/03/qatar.world.cup/index.html

[decapitated]

17 minutes ago, Weezer said:

Tbf, and it’s still rubbish, this has been a thing in those countries since before any World Cup was proposed. Even though they’re generally a little more tolerant with tourists as long as they’re not being belligerent it has always been illegal to be drunk in public. It’s why if you go to a bar in Dubai or whatever you get straight into the waiting Uber to take you home instead of tottering around the streets.

The thing is though, most of the European/Latin American fans haven't been to the Middle East before let alone Qatar. There are going to be a lot of people who don't know the unwritten rules and will be acting like fans do back home. It might not just be actually drunk/coked up fans who they start pulling from the crowd but anyone who is rowdy (though not enough to be breaking the laws in say Germany, the UK, Brazil etc) which sounds like both the sort of thing that creates major unrest in the crowd (at least until they find out what happens to those unlucky to end up in custody) and viral footage. 

 

17 minutes ago, PaulHartman71 said:

The issue they’ve got is the way they’ve gone about the bidding process and with things like the recent alcohol ban I don’t think the authorities or police etc will get any benefit of the doubt at all from the western media if some small or big incident does kick off at some point. 

Usually with football fans if something kicked off with police I don’t think people would immediately jump to it being dodgy, but with this even if they’re in the right to make an arrest a few drunk fans causing chaos or fighting etc it will be almost an international incident due to the increased coverage and perception. 

The security in Qatar freaked out at a Danish TV presenter doing a piece to camera and kicked off. I do worry they don't have the cultural experience to deal with what is normal tournament behaviour in the Western world.

9 minutes ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

Where are the fanzones? Like I am assuming they are pretty much in the middle of nowhere?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63651308

Quote

The Al Bidda Fan Park in Doha is one of the main sites in the city where supporters can soak up the Qatar World Cup experience. After a quick bag scan and two more security lanyards to add to our official Fifa ID, we were admitted to the park.

Three things immediately stood out.

The first is the size of the area - think a medium-sized UK music festival.

The second is the heat (yes, I am mentioning it again) - the sun high in the sky, with its rays striking us on the way down, then for a second time on the way back up as they reflect off the concrete beneath our feet.

The third thing you notice is the lack of shaded areas - a few tents and some oversized umbrellas near the food stalls seems to be the only protection from the searing heat.

Alcohol is available here - a pint will set you back almost £12. For the same price, you could get a soft drink, burger and chips.

A quick tour of the venue leaves the impression there's plenty to do as well as catching the action on the huge television screen which is at least four double-decker buses in length.

There's also a zip-line, giant chess sets, table football, a three-a-side football pitch, mini-golf, and around a dozen or so interactive games where fans can test their shooting, passing or reflexes as a goalkeeper.

One wonders if the issue is more heat stroke/exhaustion than any fan misbehaviour though either is possible. 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20445091/world-cup-fan-zone-england-beer-price/

Quote

But in a land where expectation and reality do not always match, and where it pays to cast some doubt on everything you are told, the truth of the vast concrete space in the heart of Doha was something different.

Yes, there is room enough for thousands, in front of a giant stage with a huge screen above it.

Giant images of Jude Bellingham and Spanish prodigy Pedri.

And yes, too, there are the promised food stands and “mega-immersive” and “multi-faceted” entertainment options. On paper.

But tell hundreds of English, Welsh and German fans they will have to queue up for an hour or more to pay nearly £12 a pop for a plastic cup of Budweiser, from the sole beer stand on site, and you have a recipe for problems, if not chaos.

Especially when they can’t even get a drink at ALL until 7pm.

Or that they will pay a similar amount for a ropey paper plate of nachos with guacamole and an underwhelming chicken quesadilla, £9 for a Greek salad or £8 for a slice of pepperoni pizza.

At best, average.

And in temperatures likely to be in the low 90s Fahrenheit when gates open each lunchtime from Saturday, pretty grim.

Indeed, less a place for “celebration”.

In such roasting conditions, more like a place for incineration.

Since Germany 2006, the World Cup Fan Fests have been a place of fun and excitement, encapsulating the spirit of the tournament.

Even in Russia, where there was also the unofficial 24-party in Red Square, it was smiles, colour… and booze. Lots of it.

But not in Qatar, where those promises of beer and wine at not much than £7 a go have been turned into another desert mirage.

Instead, beer, yes. One brand. One measure. Half a litre. Budweiser.

But not until long after it’s dark.

And NO wine OR spirits.

Just that Bud and the zero alcohol alternative.

Crucially, too, the seeming guarantee of a long wait.

Fans, restricted to “four Budweiser units per person”, face an elongated snake - reminiscent of the arrivals lounge at Heathrow at the height of summer - to get to the serving desks, although SunSport counted 78 full fridges ready to serve just Anheuser Busch’s “finest”.

Then again, given the airport-style security screening just to get in - coins, belts, watches and even PENS set off the scanners - that was probably to be expected.

Make sure you go to the loo before you start to queue.

Or you might be REALLY uncomfortable.

The Sun has some pictures

[Butts]

I mean as someone that is regularly involved in bids for work (although nothing like this ofc) we we receive an invitation to tender we will obviously have a list of things we have to be able to deliver or adhere to in order to bid. Sometimes this would immediately rule us out and other times there will be a way we can deliver this outside our usual process. I think this is effectively what Rob is getting at that one of the non-negotiables should be that anyone can attend and there needs to be a way the host country can deliver that.

[decapitated]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11441727/World-Cup-FIFA-not-providing-water-fountains-despite-temperatures-reaching-33-DEGREES-Qatar.html

 

Quote

FIFA's official fan park, fan zone and the eight World Cup stadiums are not providing water fountains for supporters despite the brutal temperatures in Qatar.

The absence of running water has led to fears of fans suffering from heatstroke and severe dehydration in temperatures that reached 33 degrees on Thursday, while the reliance on bottled water also highlights concerns over the tournament's lack of sustainability.

Supporters attending matches and visiting the official FIFA Fan Festival, which opens on Saturday with a gig headlined by Colombian pop star Maluma, can buy the tournament's official official water arwa for £2.30-a-bottle, but no provision has been made for refills.

The concrete bowl located in Al Bidda Park off the Corniche has a capacity of 40,000 leading to fears of huge queues for water given the searing heat.

The organising committee have also failed to install water fountains in the fan park on the nearby Corniche waterfront, which has been transformed into a seven kilometre long tourist attraction featuring cafes, bars and art installations based on each of the 32 competing nations. Unlike the FIFA Fan Festival the fan park is free to enter and is open all day, but again no running water has been provided.

 

[Anthrax Dave]

Jeez. No water fountains?

People are literally going to die of dehydration just to go to a football match. Shambles.

[Weezer]

16 minutes ago, decapitated said:

The thing is though, most of the European/Latin American fans haven't been to the Middle East before let alone Qatar. There are going to be a lot of people who don't know the unwritten rules and will be acting like fans do back home. It might not just be actually drunk/coked up fans who they start pulling from the crowd but anyone who is rowdy (though not enough to be breaking the laws in say Germany, the UK, Brazil etc) which sounds like both the sort of thing that creates major unrest in the crowd (at least until they find out what happens to those unlucky to end up in custody) and viral footage. 

I mean, I don't want to sound like I'm defending Qatar, but they are very much written rules. As in, actual laws. You can't be under the influence of alcohol in public. And putting aside how scummy these Middle Eastern nations are in many other aspects, it's still your duty as a visitor to understand these laws just as you would when visiting any other country. Just because there are designated areas where you're able to get served alcohol doesn't mean they're in turn giving you permission to get absolutely bladdered and cause a scene.

You might argue that "that's what football fans do", but it's still stupid that we've normalised this sort of culture.

I think a bigger issue is fans drinking alcohol outside in the sun all day with no shade and no free drinking water, that is just psychotic. People are going to get hurt.

[decapitated]

3 minutes ago, Weezer said:

I mean, I don't want to sound like I'm defending Qatar, but they are very much written rules. As in, actual laws. You can't be under the influence of alcohol in public. And putting aside how scummy these Middle Eastern nations are in many other aspects, it's still your duty as a visitor to understand these laws just as you would when visiting any other country. Just because there are designated areas where you're able to get served alcohol doesn't mean they're in turn giving you permission to get absolutely bladdered and cause a scene.

You might argue that "that's what football fans do", but it's still stupid that we've normalised this sort of culture.

I think a bigger issue is fans drinking alcohol outside in the sun all day with no shade and no free drinking water, that is just psychotic. People are going to get hurt.

You are right. It's a not a part of European/English culture that is in any way praiseworthy. I guess it depends on what you class as causing a scene. Chanting and singing in a rowdy manner? rowdy celebrations/anger at defeats? chucking your drink in the air in celebration? It's all very moronic, but wading in with crowd control when those things happen will just make things worse. I imagine like you say, after researching the matter, dehydration/heat stroke/exhaustion is the more likely danger. Alcohol is only served between 7pm-1am and you are only allowed 4 pints of Budweiser (at £12 per unit). The problem is that the UK Media think massive queues for food, drinks both alcoholic and not, and the toilets are extremely likely. The Sun in particular seemed to think there weren't enough food/drink outlets and toilets for the crowds expected.

[Rafalution]

It had not occurred to me that the only thing available would be Budweiser

[decapitated]

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/20473683/furious-england-qatar-booze-ban-world-cup-stadiums/

Quote

DEFIANT England fans have vowed to still "get p****d" before games in the wake of Qatar's sudden stadium booze ban.

The announcement comes despite supporters previously being promised they could drink beer in stadiums throughout the tournament.

The stunning booze ban comes just two days before the tournament kicks off.

But while Fifa buckled under pressure from the Qatari authorities, it appears Three Lions fans won't let it get in their way.

One supporter told The Sun: "It won't dampen my experience too much because I will just get p****d before the games.

"That's the way the cookie crumbles."

But not every fan had such a sunny outlook on the booze ban.

"To be honest I am very annoyed", said another supporter.

"The whole time they have been telling us that you can buy booze in the stadium, which we were all very excited about.

"Now the day before the World Cup starts we have been told we can't buy booze there.

"Everyone knows that English people love a drink".

The disappointed fan added that he now fears the ban could suck some of the atmosphere out of the stadiums.

He said: "Before I would be buzzing before game days and get to the stadiums early and get the drinks in, to get yourself hyped up for the game.

"Now there's no point in getting there early.

"Just get there when the game kicks off. No drinks to buy so it will be a sober day really."

The sudden alcohol U-turn comes amid fears over Qatar's strict booze laws.

Alcohol isn’t illegal in Qatar, but there is zero tolerance for drinking in public and being drunk in public is a crime.

Drinking in a public place could result in a prison sentence of up to six months - and/or a fine up to QAR3,000, the equivalent of £696.29.

Visitors could find themselves nicked for public drunkenness even if they have only had a tiny tipple, due to the unclear nature of the host nation's alcohol laws.

Last month, Qatar's World Cup chief Al Khater said authorities will attempt to avoid arrests for fans that have had one too many by placing them in 'sobering up tents'.

He told Sky News: “There are plans in place for people to sober up if they've been drinking excessively.

“It's a place to make sure that they keep themselves safe, they're not harmful to anybody else.”

@Weezer will know more, but being fan parks aren't selling alcohol until 7pm, it might not be so easy for them to know where to find alcohol for sale. I'm intrigued by the idea of these "sobering up tents" and I'm not sure they will work too well in practice.

[Weezer]

Sobering up tent just sounds like a fancy word for 'temporary jail'  

6 minutes ago, decapitated said:

DEFIANT England fans have vowed to still "get p****d" before games in the wake of Qatar's sudden stadium booze ban.

 

Oh ffs. Morons, the lot of them. And also....

6 minutes ago, decapitated said:

One supporter told The Sun: "It won't dampen my experience too much because I will just get p****d before the games.

 

I'd love to know where he thinks he going to get pissed up before games. You can't just nip in Lidl and buy a 12 pack ffs  There's going to be a massive culture shock for both the Qataris not realising what these football fans are like and also the fans turning up in a place like Qatar having no idea what it is like. Both parties could be in for a rude awakening.

Edited November 18, 2022 by Weezer

[decapitated]

There does seem to be a distinct lack of knowledge among England fans (as well the German fan who thought he could bring 2 bottles of whiskey in his suitcase) about cultural and legal norms in Qatar. Its like they've done zero research at all.

[Lucas]

I just don't know why you'd want to go there.

[Weezer]

4 minutes ago, decapitated said:

There does seem to be a distinct lack of knowledge among England fans

Could have just stopped it there tbf  

I can't comprehend people that spend thousands on tickets and accommodation in a place like Qatar without having any understanding of what to expect when they get there. I've had a sore throat for a couple of days (luckily not Covid) and was told to make sure I bring stuff with me because a packet of Stepsils is £30  I guarantee there will be idiots turning up having no idea how much just basics like food and drink are going to cost them and getting mad when somebody tries to charge them £36 for a pina colada by the hotel pool (genuine price I've been told, and that's likely to be even higher when the price gouging starts)

[Darren Moores Mum]

There are hotel bars and restaurants selling alcohol as well. Don't know how feasible with pricing those will be or even access, but they are there.

There's a map on Google for highlighting all the places that sell booze.

[Weezer]

1 minute ago, ginnybob said:

There are hotel bars and restaurants selling alcohol as well. Don't know how feasible with pricing those will be or even access, but they are there.

There's a map on Google for highlighting all the places that sell booze.

Yeah but they're not going to let you get tanked up and then go to a game. You'll be challenged before it gets to that point as you've somehow got to get from the bar to the match whilst wankered. And the prices will be eye watering, plus they charge an entrance fee to get in (might be free for guests of the actual hotel but if you're staying in a hotel with a bar you're already spending a **** ton)

[The Golden boy]

5 hours ago, Weezer said:

The hypocritical thing is, my girlfriend has frequented the bars and clubs out there and in Dubai and she says it’s completely normal to see Arab guys there drinking alcohol and surrounding themselves with women. As with most imposing conservative leaderships it’s a case of “do as I say not as I do”.

As everything in this world, money buys you exemption from certain rules.

[forameuss]

1 hour ago, decapitated said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11441727/World-Cup-FIFA-not-providing-water-fountains-despite-temperatures-reaching-33-DEGREES-Qatar.html

 

 

Interesting that the stuff around beer is huge news, yet you haven't heard much about this.  Them suddenly banning beer is amusing to most, and probably no more than an inconvenience and annoyance to those that are there, but not providing enough water could well be deadly.

The more that comes out about this, the more it seems like there's going to be something pretty serious happening during the tournament.  Usually you get scare stories in the media during the tournament, and they come to nothing.  Hopefully that's the case here, but...there's just soooo many.  Is it going to be people dying from exposure?  Someone gay getting his head caved in?  A riot at the drunk tank?  A stadium falling down? 

[decapitated]

Meanwhile the Guardian spoke to the security guards in the same fan park and discovered they are paid 35p an hour and ruthlessly exploited and mistreated by the Qatari authorities. 

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/nov/18/security-guards-doha-qatar-world-cup-park-claim-they-are-paid-just-35p-an-hour

 

[SouthCoastRed]

5 hours ago, Rob1981 said:

Have to stay out of all the match threads

That's just your excuse to avoid all the Southgate hate 

[Rob1981]

Been absolutely snowed under at work this week so it has really crept up on me this time   Normally I would have Nessun Dorma playing on a loop by now, and before Sunday afternoon I would have been out and scoured all the niche supermarkets for Ecuadorean snacks.

[TalkSport]

3 hours ago, Anthrax Dave said:

Jeez. No water fountains?

People are literally going to die of dehydration just to go to a football match. Shambles.

Gives me woodstock vibes with the tarmac too.

[TalkSport]

3 hours ago, Weezer said:

As in, actual laws. You can't be under the influence of alcohol in public. And putting aside how scummy these Middle Eastern nations are in many other aspects, it's still your duty as a visitor to understand these laws just as you would when visiting any other country.

What's classed as under the influence? Chanting a song outside a fan park? A slight zig zag?

There's a proper grey area where I can see things being messy when they go heavy handed because they think someones too pissed in public, when they've probably had like 4 beers and dehydrated.