Daniel Munro
1 day ago
TikTok videos uploaded by a Qatari company have led to some claiming that the country may have hired fake fans to support foreign nations in order to help promote the upcoming World Cup.
Having been subjected to great discussion in the media throughout the year, the FIFA 2022 World Cup is nearly upon us, with the host nation Qatar set to host Ecuador in the opening fixture on Sunday, November 21.
Though a single game is yet to be played, the tournament has already generated a great deal of controversy, the latest of which has arisen after TikTok users shared their suspicions about some of the fans who are in Qatar ahead of the tournament starting.
1 day ago
TikTok videos uploaded by a Qatari company have led to some claiming that the country may have hired fake fans to support foreign nations in order to help promote the upcoming World Cup.
Having been subjected to great discussion in the media throughout the year, the FIFA 2022 World Cup is nearly upon us, with the host nation Qatar set to host Ecuador in the opening fixture on Sunday, November 21.
Though a single game is yet to be played, the tournament has already generated a great deal of controversy, the latest of which has arisen after TikTok users shared their suspicions about some of the fans who are in Qatar ahead of the tournament starting.
QATAR LIVING ACCOUNT POSTS FOOTAGE OF FANS CELEBRATING WORLD CUP BUILD-UP
The footage in question was posted by Qatar Living, a website that promotes local Qatari businesses and uploads tips and guides for tourists visiting the country.
Multiple clips on their TikTok account showed groups of fans said to be supporting the likes of Argentina, Brazil and England gathering in the nation’s capital of Doha.
Each set of fans could be seen wearing their nation’s colors, while waving flags, holding up banners and in some instances, dancing and chanting in a rather jovial manner.
The bulk of the footage was uploaded on Friday, November 4, some 16 days away from the World Cup starting, but each nation already had a large group of fans represented in the clips, prompting some users to question how legitimate the clips were.
Many viewers noticed in the England fan footage that there was very little chanting being carried out by the supporters who instead played various instruments as they marched together.
One user asked below the post: “I do wonder if they just hired random people to cheer”.
Images posted by B/R Football on Twitter also highlighted that several fans representing Brazil were wearing T-shirts that read “Brazil Fans Qatar” on the back.
It is unclear whether this means that Qatar provided these T-shirts to the Brazil supporters in Doha, or if they are just souvenir items.
GRV Media and HITC have reached out to Qatar Living for comment over the fake fan accusations.
REPORTS CLAIM SOME FANS ARE BEING PAID TO ATTEND QATAR WORLD CUP
The accusations on TikTok about supposed fake fans at the Qatar World Cup come just weeks after it was claimed that some football fans are being paid to be ambassadors for the tournament.
The Guardian reported on November 4 that groups of fans from England and Wales are set to be paid to travel to the World Cup and invited to the opening ceremony, in return for being official representatives of the tournament.
The Times reported that as many as 80 people across England and Wales had agreed to take up roles as representatives, a role that The Guardian states will require said fans to adhere to “certain terms and conditions.”
Representatives of the Qatar World Cup have described the fan ambassadors as “playing a crucial role” in the tournament.
No comments:
Post a Comment