FOX Sports is putting on a show at the 2022 World Cup. It’s a show that disguises the truth and instead focuses its priorities on keeping sponsors and FIFA happy.
As the exclusive English-language rights holder of the competition, FOX’s top executive was asked Thursday for his coverage if the station will speak about human rights abuses and lack of freedom in Qatar.
“Our position is that if it affects what happens on the field of play, we will cover it and cover it completely,” David Neal, executive producer of Fox’s World Cup coverage. “But if it doesn’t, if it’s secondary to the history of the tournament, there are many other entities and media that will cover that. We firmly believe that spectators come to us to see what happens on the field, on the pitch.”
The truth about the 2022 World Cup
Viewers may be tuning in to see the games themselves, but FOX Sports is putting on a show that will attempt to paint Qatar and FIFA in a positive light.
Instead of being honest with their viewers and discussing the issues of human rights abuses and lack of freedoms that have fused into any discussion of Qatar 2022, FOX Sports runs scared.
FOX Sports is afraid of upsetting Qatar Airways, one of the broadcaster’s main sponsors throughout the tournament. Qatar Airways is pouring millions into the pockets of FOX.
Additionally, FOX Sports is afraid to speak up and be honest with viewers in case they upset the FIFA cartel. With FIFA hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America, FOX wants to be on the same level as FIFA.
The truth is that FOX Sports does not want you to know what is happening in Qatar. “Hey, watch the game.” And don’t talk about:
• 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since the World Cup was awarded,• LGBTQ rights are repressed in the country, and same-sex relationships are punishable by up to 7 years in prison,• The Emir of Qatar thanks to Vladimir Putin for helping organize Qatar 2022.
FOX hides the truth in the World Cup
FOX executive producer David Neal’s statement that “there are a lot of other entities and outlets that are going to cover that” is deplorable. As the exclusive English rights holder, FOX Sports has a duty to inform the public rather than hide behind the “if it happens on the field, we’ll cover it” stance.
What makes matters worse is that FOX Sports has already made plans to produce bean bag parts to paint Qatar in a positive light.
Here’s what Kevin Callahan, vice president of field operations and engineering for FOX Sports, recently had to say in an interview with Sports Video Group two weeks ago when discussing what footage to expect:
“We have two teams that are only dedicated to capturing the news of the day and the flavor of the country.
“We want to make sure we show everything that is Qatar, whether it’s Sealine Beach, where the desert meets the ocean, the modern skyline of Doha, the financial center that is Qatar, or the falconry or camel racing, things that make up what is Qatar”.
FOX’s policy of hiding the truth is similar to what happened at Russia 2018. For example, FOX Sports ran a segment on Josef Stalin’s summer home, with a voiceover positioning it as “Think what you want about Josef Stalin, but there is no denying that this was one of the most formidable figures in all of history.”
Reaction from other broadcasters
Critics may argue that all World Cup broadcasters are doing the same thing as FOX Sports.
That is not true.
In April, when I asked the president of Telemundo Deportes, Ray Warren, about his coverage of the World Cup and if his organization would speak out about human rights abuses, his response was: “We are not a news organization, we are a sports organization… we go wherever the World Cup is played.”
Months later, I asked Telemundo Deportes president Ray Warren the same question. His posture had changed. This is what he said:
“We will probably follow the lead of NBC Sports and their handling of the Beijing Winter Games. There was a pretty strong opening remark at the opening ceremony. And in the end, it was ‘Let’s honor the athletes, let’s honor the fans, let’s see some Olympics.’
“That will probably be our way of approaching it.”
Soccer fans deserve better
FOX Sports’ decision to hide the truth from viewers is disappointing, especially when the broadcaster has television crews in the country.
“We have two teams that are just dedicated to capturing the news of the day and the flavor of the country,” Callahan said.
FOX’s plans for World Cup 2022 coverage appear to be an infomercial for Qatar, paid for by Qatar Airways.
As FOX Sports’ lead studio analyst says for their World Cup coverage in the video below: “This (hosting a World Cup) is often used as publicity (by the host country). And even more so what Qatar is showing in what it is, but also in what it wants to be”.
