Qatar’s Corruption: Awards and Conferences Won’t Fix Problem

Last month, the autocratic Gulf state of Qatar handed out anti-corruption awards in partnership with the United Nations. The entire exercise was gaslighting in the extreme.

It took chutzpah for the regime in Doha to issue one of five Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence awards for the “Safeguarding Sports from Corruption,” named for the country’s autocratic leader. The safeguard award was granted jointly this year to two experts in sports law. The legal experts may well have earned their recognition. But it is now well-documented that Qatar bribed its way to hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

JS

About the Author

Jonathan Schanzer

Jonathan Schanzer is executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

About the Author

Natalie Ecanow

Natalie Ecanow is a research analyst for the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. Her work focuses on the Middle East.

Featured Tags

Manage following

Middle East

Qatar

Last month, the autocratic Gulf state of Qatar handed out anti-corruption awards in partnership with the United Nations. The entire exercise was gaslighting in the extreme.

It took chutzpah for the regime in Doha to issue one of five Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence awards for the “Safeguarding Sports from Corruption,” named for the country’s autocratic leader. The safeguard award was granted jointly this year to two experts in sports law. The legal experts may well have earned their recognition. But it is now well-documented that Qatar bribed its way to hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.