Football is and always will be political.
We are speaking up because we have the opportunity to, when many others do not. The games are not occurring in a vacuum and we are aware that the 2022 World Cup may affect our members. We are also aware that our members want to watch the game and are going to regardless of whatever is said by ourselves or the mainstream. That being said, we are speaking today to explain the work we will be doing around the World Cup.
Firstly, the World Cup (specifically the England games) are being shown by the o2 Academy (owned by AMG), in collaboration with Rockstar Promotions, both of whom the Students’ Union have a close working relationship with. The Students’ Union is a separate organisation however and will not receive any profit from the showing of the games, and neither will Rockstar Promotions who have simply facilitated the distribution of tickets.
We have worked with the o2 to arrange a drinks deal, with 50% of the profit being donated to charities supporting LGBTQ+ rights and migrant workers’ rights.
Sports Council, alongside ULFC, ULWFC and the Executive Officers, will be hosting a donation stall in the entry to the o2 to ask for voluntary donations from those watching the games. All proceeds from the stall will again go to charities supporting LGBTQ+ rights and migrant workers’ rights.
Your LGBT+ and Trans and Non-binary Officers are also working on some educational packs that will be available for students, providing information about the human rights violations that are prevalent in Qatar and the abuse faced by the workers who built the stadium, 6,500 of whom died.
None of our members have asked us to raise our voices in opposing the showing of the World Cup, so we are speaking up to reiterate our complete commitment to liberation and the rights of marginalised communities because it is what we, as a Union, believe in.
Responsibility for the gross misconduct in the hosting of the World Cup lies with the government of Qatar and FIFA, the latter having the power to make positive change but choosing instead to prioritise profit over human rights. Condemning their actions now won’t change the decision or stop the 2022 World Cup. Showing our outrage might go a long way though in ensuring that no country that criminalises the LGBTQ+ community, violates the rights of women and neglects it workers to the point of death, is ever allowed to host the World Cup in the future.