Daily Times

BERLIN: Two pub owners in Germany will not be showing matches from the Qatar World Cup, saying they took the decision from “an ethical standpoint” given the Gulf state’s record on human rights. Qatar, the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup, has come under intense international pressure for its treatment of foreign workers and restrictive social laws. Disquiet over the country’s human rights record has led to calls for teams and officials to boycott the games at the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 tournament. “Too many human rights were violated and from an ethical standpoint, I can’t justify it,” Fanny Delaune, owner of “Babel” sports bar in Bonn, said. “Some understand it and others will watch anyway but ultimately, it’s my bar and my decision.” Tobias Epping, who owns “Die Wache” bar in the city, will also do the same. “Not just me but also my regular customers who I asked to vote on Facebook and Instagram decided not to show the World Cup because there was a point when we said ‘enough’,” he said. Qatar’s World Cup organisers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), have disputed claims that thousands of people have died during the preparations for the tournament.