Qatar World Cup: German players’ silent protest has reiterated “human rights are non-negotiable”

Before their soccer match against Japan, the four time world champions Germany did the unthinkable – the players posed for the pre-match team photograph at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha with their mouths covered. This was their silent protest against the host country of FIFA World Cup 2022, and reiterated that human rights are non negotiable. Though the champions lost match to Japan by 2-1, they have won the hearts of millions with their stand against the violation of human rights for all. There was a common view post match that Germany lost to Japan as they were too distracted from football and “dared to stick up for human rights”. As one Qatari reporter’s account, said, just like thousands of others: “This is what happens when you don’t focus on football.”

Qatar, since it bagged the hosting rights of 2022 World Cup, has been the centre of criticism for its treatment of migrant workers, suppression of human rights of women and LGBTQ+ community.

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Team captains of many European teams had planned to protest by wearing “One Love” armbands to signal support for the “One Love” campaign for human rights. But the national soccer federations of the concerned countries, instead, chose to follow FIFA’s demand of not staging any messaging during games. The denial of staging protest did not still well with the Germany team, apparently, as they staged the protest without the armbands.

“We wanted to use our captain’s armband to take a stand for values that we hold in the Germany national team: diversity and mutual respect. Together with other nations, we wanted our voice to be heard.”

“It wasn’t about making a political statement,” according to a post on the German team’s Twitter feed. “Human rights are nonnegotiable. That should be taken for granted, but it still isn’t the case. That’s why this message is so important to us.”

Germany is next playing on Sunday against Spain before ending Group E play on December 1 against Costa Rica