The stadium freaks

DAY

I admit that football leaves me indifferent. My English husband, he is racing for ten. But he does not try to convince me to be interested in it. He doesn't like to fight for lost causes.

A few days ago I heard one of our football freaks on the radio complaining about some colleagues from here who highlighted the political system of Qatar, this micro-state where modern slavery is raging. Indeed, Qatar brings in slaves of sorts from the poor countries of the subcontinent to work on construction sites in appalling conditions.

The emirate, like other Muslim countries, prohibits not only same-sex relations, but all sexual relations before marriage. Eh yes ! Another sports specialist, who was probably drooling because he had not been assigned to Qatar for the World Cup, said on the radio this week that we should avoid politicizing the sport. Obviously, he had already heard President Emmanuel Macron make this hypocritical statement at the start of the competition.

• Listen to Denise Bombardier's column at the microphone of Richard Martineau, available as a podcast on QUB radio: 

Probity

Like it or not, FIFA is not an organization with high moral standards. And professional sport is not meant to be a catalyst for democracy around the world.

In fact, few countries can teach lessons, because democratic purity is a ideal above all. The fact remains that these big sporting events where money dominates occur in dubious countries which find there an opportunity to restore their image.

No, Qatar is not a dream. No more than all the countries of the world under dictatorial, religious and anti-democratic regime.

Yes, football fans take pleasure in seeing their grass heroes shine on the international scene. But does not prevent some from keeping a little embarrassment. Like that of my colleague, Joseph Facal, who admitted his sin, that of yielding to the charm of this sport by momentarily forgetting his critical sense which he applies with relevance when it comes to Quebec or Canadian politics.