Re: The World Cup 2022
Jan 31, 2011
So can fans expect this sort of "we screw up, treat you bad, and then lie to the outside world" in WC 2022?
Aparently workers were given Arabic clothes to wear and let in for free, so it would appear that many "Qataris" were attending....
all this at the cost of genuine ticket holders many of whom came from Australia to see the final match
While Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam claimed that the organization and conduct of the Asian Cup 2011 had “exceeded” expectations, the fans who arrived at the Khalifa Stadium for the final opined otherwise.
Several ticket-holders were denied access to their seat as the gates were closed at least 45 minutes before the kick-off, which led to the official attendance being recorded to 37,147, far less than what the 50,000 seat stadium can accommodate.
“We reached around 5.30 pm at the stadium and saw the gates closed. They didn't allow us to get in even though we had the tickets," said Abdul A.
“People started screaming and shouting but no-one from the AFC management came out to give an explanation.
“Some fans protested vehemently and later were taken into police custody. We didn't get to see the match. Even people who had VIP passes weren't allowed.
"We saw empty seats while walking back towards our car and that even frustrated us more. When I was taking pictures, the cops asked me for the camera in order to delete the pictures."
Another fan highlighted of the behavior of the security guards which has consistently remained impolite.
“My dad and uncle couldn't see the game as security didn't let them in spite of having the tickets. The security must learn to speak English," said Rae Pais.
"They were inhospitable, rude and ignorant. They treat people in a very despicable manner. I also think that they need to fix these issues now else ten years down the line, the mistakes will be repeated in 2022 World Cup."
Fans have been using online forums to vent their frustrations at the poorly organized tournament which saw them missing out on the final.