Controversial Zakir Naik as brand ambassador for Islam at FIFA World Cup in Qatar is bad news
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Zakir Naik will preach at the FIFA World Cup 2022
Don’t mix sports and politics. Well, Qatar has done just that in the last few days before the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup. On Sunday, there was shock and shiver as news of a hate preacher based in Malaysia, Zakir Naik, becoming a brand ambassador for Islam in Qatar broke out on Twitter.
Just sample this. Two days ago, Qatar shocked the fans when they said beer would not be sold at the eight venues which will host matches, beginning with the lung opener featuring Qatar and Ecuador. The beer ban triggered outrage. Rightly so, for none had imagined the host nation would pull the plug on FIFA and Budweiser. The financial deal between the apex body of world football and the top beer producer who was looking to cash in on the World Cup was huge.
The second blow on Sunday, in the form of Zakir Naik, has ruffled feathers. India has banned him for his hate speech. There is no way he can enter India and the way the State has cracked down on Islamic units like PFI (Popular Front of India), people like Zakir Naik should not be seen at global sporting events.
Related: Going to be a nightmarish experience for football fans at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Banned by India, Malasyian-based Zakir Naik is known for spewing venom with response from the UAE also stirring the political pot
News of Zakir Naik becoming a brand ambassador of sorts is bad news for many reasons. Sport is pure and for it to be contaminated with the involvement of people like Zakir Naik is just not needed. There is no we should have been roped in as even the Arab countries do not agree with his philosophy on a religion that has a massive global following. Given the terror factories which have mushroomed in global geopolitics, Zakir Naik coming on board with Qatar is bound to face huge whiplash.
Just imagine, a country like the United Arab Emirates has already slammed Zakir Naik and Qatar in one breath. Hasssan Sajwani from the UAE, a social media influencer, who is known for his anti-terror stance has tweeted about the link between Qatar and Naik. It’s a clear dig at the host nation of the FIFA WC.
Viewed from the political prism, India has a strong stance on terror and hate speech and banned Zakir Naik. There is no way he can enter India. On Sunday, in Doha, All India Football Federation secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran was attending a FIFA conference. It surely will raise eyebrows as India would not want to be associated with anyone who has radical views on Islam and speaks bilge.
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They say, when shit hits the ceiling, it flies all around! This is what Qatar has done on the first day of the World Cup. Just imagine, this was supposed to be all about only football. The controversies have been truly sensational. There is no way participating nations will not press into service their diplomatic corps into action even if their teams are not competing in the World Cup. After all, as the leader of the G20, India is now looked up to in a very big way. There is no way, in a country not too far away — Qatar — India would like to see an Islam hate preacher lecturing and stoking the flames.
Also Read: FIFA President confident of hosting the FIFA World Cup even in North Korea
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)