DOHA, Qatar
Despite all the allegations and accusations subjected at Qatar, women say they feel ‘safer’ at World Cup 2022, since the prohibition of alcohol usage creates a better environment.
“For me as a woman on my own, it feels safer without alcohol in the stadiums. I just don’t like it when everyone is drunk,” BBC quoted a football fan Bete Basica as saying, who has travelled from Sao Paulo to Qatar to support Brazil at the World Cup. She’s come to Souq Waqif.
“Sometimes I’m the only woman in the metro,” she says. “I get many ‘looks’ – but that’s it,” Basica said, according to BBC.
“You read many things about [the region], that it’s very dangerous for women. But I feel respected by everyone and I had no problem being here on my own.”
Western countries have constantly been crying of country’s human rights record and treatment of migrant workers used to build an entire tournament infrastructure.
Just two days before the opening ceremony, it was announced that alcohol would not be sold to fans inside the stadiums, though there are specific areas in fan zones where you can drink.
Another Argentina fan Karen Retamal says, despite the limited access, she and her friends have been able to get a drink every day since they’ve been here – but she does prefer the dry stadiums, especially for her group.
“We’re from Argentina. We live football,” she laughs. “And when we lose, I do prefer that there’s no alcohol.”
Ms Retamal remembers how frustrated and angry fans were when Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia in their opening group match.
“When the game finished, they [Saudi fans] kept coming to us and saying: ‘Where is Messi? Where is Messi?’ We were really sad and angry,” she said.
Ms Retamal believes that had those emotions been exacerbated by alcohol, the situation could have been very tense.
However, she says she has generally felt at ease moving around between venues during the tournament.
