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2022 FIFA World Cup Finals

Here we go, the World Corrupt 2022 underway!
 
 
Fuzzems, is this you? :LOL:

 
So Qatar show they're about as good at football as everyone expected, no one cared about the opening ceremony, and we're underway...
That's Day 1 in a nutshell....
 
 
They should wear 'em anyway and let FIFA ban them.
 
Agreed, completely! Stand up and REALLY say something!
I mean, if the U.S. can use a rainbow-themed US Soccer emblem at their training ground then....
 
Yep, I wouldn't want England winning this World Cup anyway, wear it with pride and make a statement, stand up to this madness.
R.099638e3357e724fda8ca1e167212625
 
(BBC Sport) Iran declined to sing their national anthem before their World Cup match with England in an apparent expression of support for anti-government protests in their home country.

Some fans shouted and jeered during the anthem and others held up signs saying "Woman, Life, Freedom". Iran boss Carlos Queiroz had said his players were "free to protest".

There has been a fierce crackdown on protests in Iran sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September. The 22-year-old Amini was detained by morality police for allegedly breaking the strict rules around head coverings.

Human rights activists have said more than 400 protesters have been killed and 16,800 others arrested in a crackdown by Iran's security forces. Iran's leaders say the protests are "riots" orchestrated by the country's foreign enemies.

Iranian fans could also be heard chanting "Ali Karimi" in the first-half in reference to the former footballer who is one of the most outspoken critics of the Islamic Republic and one of the most popular faces of the protest movement.
 
Marianna Spring, BBC News Disinformation and social media correspondent: Allegations that "fake" fans have been paid by Qatar to support England and other popular teams have been going viral on social media. It comes after videos of them in matching shirts and chanting were shared widely online, with captions saying Qatar “has paid people to dress as fake fans”.

I’ve identified and tracked down several of the people in those viral videos for Newscast. Those I've spoke to are people from Indian and Sri Lankan who live and work in Qatar. They have told me they are committed fans and are delighted to be able to watch their favourite teams play: England, Argentina, Brazil and others. Their social media profiles, which have posted about these footballs teams for years, support this.

They say they have not been paid by Qatar to attend or support specific teams. There's no evidence otherwise to support this allegation - and it's a claim World Cup organisers rejects. While they could have been provided with merchandise and shirts, I’m currently yet to uncover evidence of that happening directly.

Just because you’re not from the country you’re supporting it doesn’t make you a “fake” or “paid up” fan. These narratives are drawn from conspiracies about crisis actors we've seen spreading more readily online since the pandemic.

It's a fertile time for online disinformation to go viral because of the controversies surrounding this World Cup. Lgitimate wrong-doing can be muddled up with false allegations and it's vital to unpick them.

Why? Well, it can have a real-world impact - what happens if someone targets an alleged fake fan with abuse online - or off? It’s about separating fact from fiction, understanding what’s happening and why - and piecing together the truth of this complex World Cup.
 
 

 

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Welcome to Offtopix 👋, Visitor

Off Topix is a well-established general discussion forum that originally opened to the public in 2009! We provide a laid-back atmosphere, and our members are down to earth. We have a ton of content, and fresh stuff is constantly being added. We cover all sorts of topics, so there's bound to be something inside to pique your interest. We welcome anyone and everyone to register and become a member of our awesome community.

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