2022 FIFA World Cup: French newspaper slammed for racist and Islamophobic portrayal of the Qatar national football team

A French newspaper has caused outrage after publishing a racist and Islamaphobic cartoon less than two weeks before the 2022 FIFA World Cup begins.

Le Canard enchaine has sparked worldwide condemnation for drawing an offensive caricature using outdated stereotypes of Qatari men. The Arab men drawn in the cartoon are depicted as long-bearded, masked, angry individuals who carry weapons.

هكذا يُقدم الاعلام الفرنسي المنتخب القطري لكرة القدم https://t.co/5PeWzDU2Nh

The men involved are carrying firearms such as rifles and rocket launchers, as well as machetes and axes. One man is even wearing the iconic No. 10 shirt, which has been wrapped in a suicide vest.

The satirical magazine has been widely criticized for their caricature of what they believe is the Qatari lifestyle, with many believing it reflects a racist culture the west possesses. The publication is known for its controversial work, having created numerous anti-Muslim pieces in the past.

According to Middle Eastern Eye, the cartoon is the latest incident to frustrate the Qatari people, who feel they are being misrepresented in the leadup to the FIFA World Cup.

Another day, another instance of French racism & xenophobia against Arabs as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 🇶🇦 2022 is just around the corner

France’s 🇫🇷 weekly Le Canard Enchaîné @canardenchaine published caricature of Qatari footballers dressed as terrorists
lovin.co/doha/en/latest… twitter.com/HassanALANSARI…

Qatar's foreign miniter believes western countries are arrogant following FIFA World Cup criticism

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani described negative media coverage of the upcoming FIFA World Cup as misinformation. The entire 12 years since Qatar won the right to host the tournament has been bogged in controversy, with issues such as workers' conditions and LGBTQ+ rights reguarly in the news.

But the minister sought to defend his country's reputation and is clearly running out of patience with those who question Qatar's ability to host the FIFA World Cup. He told Sky News:

"Preaching from a distance is not a solution. Calling to boycott the World Cup, or those who are not coming to the World Cup, it's their decision at the end of the day. But why deprive the people and the public from attending and enjoying the World Cup."

Asked about the criticism of Qatari politics and beliefs, he replied:

"What kind of message are they sending to their own public? What about their own problems within their countries, which they are turning a blind eye? Honestly, not me or the Qatari people only, but there's a lot of people from around the world who are just seeing this as a sense of arrogance.

"A sense of people who cannot accept a small country from the Middle East has won the bid to host the World Cup."