FIFA

Meet the Gaza athletes unmasked as terrorists

Abdullah Khattab emerged as one of Gaza’s rising soccer talents at a young age. But he was committed to more than just athletics. On July 22, the Israel Defense Forces published...

Russia Should End It’s War To Attend the Next Olympics

While the Milano Olympic Games have now reached their end, Putin is celebrating the acquisition of countless new victims in his international influence campaigns. The Kremlin has taken advantage of the...

The Gaslighting Masterclass Happening Now In Doha

A masterclass in gaslighting is being given in Doha right now. Qatar is hosting the Conference of State Parties (CoSP) to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption from December 15 through 19. It’s...

Freedom for Iran: Learning From U.S. Support for Polish Anti-Communists in the 1980s

Defamation Lawsuit Thrusts Qatar’s Record of Corruption Into the Spotlight

It has been three years since Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but the tournament is still making headlines. The latest story is about an emerging legal battle between former Qatari Prime Minister...

World Bowls Tour Allows Israeli Participation, Reversing Previous Discriminatory Decision 

The World Bowls Tour (WBT) on December 31 reversed its decision to bar three Israeli athletes from competing in the World Indoor Bowls Championships to be held in England in mid-January...

Qatar’s Sportswashing Strategy: What the Latest Headlines on European Soccer Didn’t Tell You

Paris’ Stade de France stadium appeared more like a fortress than a soccer arena ahead of the UEFA Nations League match between France and Israel on November 14. French authorities increased security...

European Prosecutors Launch Probe into Allegations that Senior EU Official Accepted Bribes From Qatar

European Commission advisor Henrik Hololei is the latest Western official facing legal consequences for allegedly accepting bribes from Qatar. On November 1, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)...

How Qatar buys powerful friends in Washington

The case of Bob Menendez and others like him

FIFA Is Latest Target of Palestinian Hijacking

The Palestinian political intifada reached FIFA, soccer’s governing body, last Friday. Cloaked in the language of justice and human rights, the Palestinian FIFA delegation continued its decades-long...

Qatari Royal Facing Arrest Warrant in UK Over $6 Billion Debt

An English judge issued an arrest warrant on May 16 for a member of Qatar’s ruling Al Thani family. Sheikh Fahad Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Thani, a cousin of former Qatari prime minister...

Don’t Punish Israeli Athletes for Receiving Death Threats

Instead of protecting Israeli athletes facing threats of violence, some sporting bodies have rewarded terrorism by banning Israeli competitors, often while insisting the exclusion is for the athletes’...

Saudi-Israeli peace is no pipe dream

Is a Saudi-Israeli peace deal just around the corner or still just a long-term hope? The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington and Riyadh “have agreed on the broad contours...

Indonesia scores own goal with hostility to Israel

Attempting to ban Israeli athletes proved to be a costly own goal for Indonesia. On Wednesday, FIFA stripped Indonesia of hosting duties for the under-20 soccer World Cup due to Jakarta’s inability...

It’s not just the EU that needs to scrutinize Qatar’s influence campaigns

There’s nothing wrong with deploying capital for economic growth — but Doha seeks to gain sway too.

Qatar Forced to Allow Israelis at World Cup

Thousands of Israelis are expected to visit Qatar this month as the Gulf nation hosts the World Cup. Despite the influx of visitors, there are strong indications that the tournament will not herald a diplomatic breakthrough between the two countries. Rather, the developments suggest a pragmatic Qatar willing to do what is required to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

Jihadis issue vague threats against World Cup

In online statements, both al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and al Qaeda’s general command issued vague threats against the FIFA World Cup and its host Qatar. Islamic State supporters have additionally...

The World Cup Spotlights Qatar’s Abuses

Latest Developments With the World Cup kicking off this Sunday, Qatar hopes to improve its image by hosting the planet’s largest sporting event. However, the added attention generated by the tournament...

World Cup 2022: What’s In It For Qatar?

To host soccer’s top international competition, held once every four years, Qatar had to spend $300 billion — the equivalent of 170 percent of its GDP — buying not only a brand new infrastructure...

The World Cup Won’t Clean Up Qatar’s Image

Doha’s $220 billion public relations stunt is crashing and burning. By halftime of its inaugural game on September 9, the 2022 World Cup’s flagship stadium ran out of water. Panicked fans got a taste...