Sport has time and time again been known to have an inexplicable unifying power that gives humans the ability to set aside their differences for long enough to enjoy a game. While sports can only be played by a limited number of people at any given time, there is no sports without fans, which made covid especially hard for most people when they couldn’t go out to watch their favourite players. Being a sports fan is one of those very complex things that is difficult to fathom. Talk about the passion and dedication fans have for their teams, you really cannot understand it but you got to love and respect it. Research by psychologists has shown that sports fans tend to have a higher self-esteem, exhibit lower loneliness levels and are generally more satisfied with their lives. This phenomenon could be because sports provides an escape and much needed relief from the seriousness of the real world of unending pressures and obligations. Research also shows that fandom connects like-minded people hence satisfying the innate human need for belonging. Fans also tend to have more access to social support, resources and help in comparison to people who do not support sport. Being a sports fan is a very big deal forming a big part of people’s identity and this is why people are willing to accept defeat and stay loyal to a team. As a loyal Arsenal fan, it is exceedingly satisfying to be sitting pretty at the top of the English Premier League table after enduring years of dismal results from the team.
The biggest take home from this world cup is that, Qatar in its “hard stance” has managed to prove to the world that it is possible to enjoy things without alcohol and in fact there is less or no chaos when alcohol is removed from the equation.
It is for this reason, that millions of football fans (soccer for the sake of Americans) travelled to Qatar from all over the globe to be in the stands to cheer their favourite teams in the ongoing World Cup. This is the first time in the history of World Cup that it is being hosted in a Muslim country. A fact that had many jittery for the simple fact that Muslim countries are very conservative and highly unyielding to liberal ideals.
In true religious fashion, Qatar prevailed upon FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) to issue guidelines on dress code and consumption of alcohol at the stadiums. According to the information contained on the official World Cup website, although Qatar does not require female visitors to wear an abaya (long black robe) or hijab, female visitors are expected to wear clothes that are not too revealing and must cover their arms, shoulders, and knees to show respect to the local culture. Alcohol is not allowed inside any of the stadiums and is only sold at designated places at very high prices, making it out of the reach for most fans who probably opted to do without it as a result.
If you know anything about football, or any sport for that matter, you would know that sports goes hand in hand with food and drink. No matter the beverage, people must be sipping or munching on something. More often than not, alcohol is the preferred drink of choice for most sports fans with majority preferring beer. So, the absence of booze was a major concern for most fans who were worried that the atmosphere wouldn’t be the same without the boost that liquor so generously provides. But reports from Qatar have been surprisingly positive, with most fans noting no change in the atmosphere in the stadiums. It has even been reported that the absence of booze has made the atmosphere at the games less aggressive and more family friendly, as in there has been no drama and alcohol-fuelled altercations between fans which is a much welcome addition to the sporting world. Women in attendance have also reported high levels of feeling safe and not being cat-called and objectified by male fans during their time in Qatar, which has been a first for many women. The mood in the stadiums is reportedly less charged than usual but nothing too significant to dampen the energy. The biggest take home from this world cup is that, Qatar in its “hard stance” has managed to prove to the world that it is possible to enjoy things without alcohol and in fact, there is less or no chaos when alcohol is removed from the equation.