Have your say about the Qatar FIFA World Cup at University free public debate

University of Gloucestershire is hosting a public debate ahead of the upcoming Qatar FIFA World Cup featuring a panel of academic experts in sports ethics, journalism and politics.

Entitled ‘Should we be watching the Qatar FIFA World Cup? A debate on sportswashing and human rights abuses in sporting mega-events’, the discussion will be held at the University’s Park Campus in Cheltenham between 5.30pm and 7pm on Monday, 14 November.

The panellists will include the University’s Dr Rachael Bullingham (chair), event organiser Dr Emily Ryall (Reader in Applied Philosophy), Dr Tom Bradshaw (Associate Professor in Media Ethics and Practice), Ceri Wynne (Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise), and Dr Chris Pyke (Lecturer in Sports Journalism).

The debate is free to attend but places must be reserved in advance.

Dr Ryall said: “We very much look forward to welcoming University students and staff and members of the public to have their say on the issues around the upcoming Qatar FIFA World Cup.

“Amid concerns over Qatar’s human rights record and environmental impact, questions have been raised about whether we should be boycotting the event completely, or whether we should accept the view that sport and politics shouldn’t mix.

“Do sports journalists have a moral obligation to report the ethical issues outside the sport or should they just be focusing on the football inside the stadiums?

“Should we expect individual players or teams as a whole to demonstrate public symbols of dissent, as shown recently by the ‘taking of the knee’ in the Black Lives Matter movement?

“The debate will provide an opportunity to share opinions on a highly topical subject, ask questions and to listen the views of a range of experts in their respective fields.”