Modern day slavery building Qatar's World Cup

[mongers]

Has anything of any merit* ever come out of the Gulf states ?

Al Jazeera
Emirates Airlines
The Jordanian royal family
Those palm tree-shaped housing developments may be a white elephant, but the idea was kind of cool.

Ok, I'll concede you one out of four. 

[Tonitrus]

The Gulf States (well, basically most of the peninsula if you include Saudistan) are built on slavelabour.
there's no excuse for the Guardian to be 'surprised' by it

That's a funny construction on your part.

Is the Guardian 'surprised' by it? Or are they giving it wider exposure given the high profile of the World Cup?

We don't care about working conditions for our clothes or iProducts...why should be care when European sports are the cause of oppression? 

[Sheilbh]

One day Blatter's iron fisted corrupt rule of FIFA will end, to be replaced by the iron fisted corrupt rule of his chosen successor.

I know

Hopefully this issue will have such prominence that some of the FAs around the world - especially in Europe - will kick up a fuss. Reforming FIFA is probably beyond hope.

[The Larch]

One day Blatter's iron fisted corrupt rule of FIFA will end, to be replaced by the iron fisted corrupt rule of his chosen successor.

I know

Hopefully this issue will have such prominence that some of the FAs around the world - especially in Europe - will kick up a fuss. Reforming FIFA is probably beyond hope.

The thing about the Qatar WC that has European FAs' panties in a twist is the threat that it'll have to be held in winter in order to evade the scorching summer heat.

[Sheilbh]

The thing about the Qatar WC that has European FAs' panties in a twist is the threat that it'll have to be held in winter in order to evade the scorching summer heat.

Yeah, but I think that's a fait accompli by now. Certainly better than Blatter's suggestion that the Qataris joint-host it with the UAE and Iran

The Australians have every right to be extremely pissed about it being a winter world cup.

I hope unions and politicians will raise the pressure on the Euro-FAs.

[The Larch]

The thing about the Qatar WC that has European FAs' panties in a twist is the threat that it'll have to be held in winter in order to evade the scorching summer heat.

Yeah, but I think that's a fait accompli by now. Certainly better than Blatter's suggestion that the Qataris joint-host it with the UAE and Iran

The Australians have every right to be extremely pissed about it being a winter world cup.

I hope unions and politicians will raise the pressure on the Euro-FAs.

I don't think it's so accompli at all, most FAs were enraged about having to stop their competitions in mid-seasons when Blatter mentioned that possibility, and AFAIK it's not yet set in stone. That's a bigger issue for them than the slavery and overall nastyness of Qatar.

[Sheilbh]

Interesting. In England the reporting is that it's more or less inevitable, most leagues and UEFA have become reconciled to it, and it'll be (I think) November-December to avoid clashing with the Winter Olympics.