<p>Tommy and Roger look at how a country roughly the size of Connecticut with documented human rights violations was awarded the World Cup bid. They’re joined by Tariq Panja of the New York Times to discuss FIFA’s corrupt history, and global sports expert Simon Chadwick to explain the concept of sportswashing and why Qatar would want hosting duties in the first place.</p>

Tommy and Roger look at how a country roughly the size of Connecticut with documented human rights violations was awarded the World Cup bid. They’re joined by Tariq Panja of the New York Times to discuss FIFA’s corrupt history, and global sports expert Simon Chadwick to explain the concept of sportswashing and why Qatar would want hosting duties in the first place.

World Corrupt Episode 3: Qatar’s path to the World Cup

The world’s most-watched sporting competition this year will not be a feel-good affair. FIFA, soccer’s corrupt governing body, awarded the 2022 edition of the World Cup to Qatar via bribery. The teams, players, and fans of the game must now grapple with the complexities of an ethically fraught, morally bankrupt tournament already soaked in blood and oil– a sportswashed public relations exercise for Qatar that has cost an untold amount of migrant workers their lives since the announcement was made.

 

This dilemma is at the core of World Corrupt, a joint effort from Men in Blazers and Crooked Media. The series will be hosted by two friends, Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett and Pod Save the World’s Tommy Vietor. Roger’s deep understanding of football history and Tommy’s geopolitical analysis will combine to help listeners understand the tectonic plates shifting under the sporting events they love, and empower them to simultaneously revel in the sporting genius on display, and take action against the grave injustices that have been wrought.

Sports

News

Sports News

Politics

Soccer

The world’s most-watched sporting competition this year will not be a feel-good affair. FIFA, soccer’s corrupt governing body, awarded the 2022 edition of the World Cup to Qatar via bribery. The teams, players, and fans of the game must now grapple with the complexities of an ethically fraught, morally bankrupt tournament already soaked in blood and oil– a sportswashed public relations exercise for Qatar that has cost an untold amount of migrant workers their lives since the announcement was made. This dilemma is at the core of World Corrupt, a joint effort from Men in Blazers and Crooked Media. The series will be hosted by two friends, Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett and Pod Save the World’s Tommy Vietor. Roger’s deep understanding of football history and Tommy’s geopolitical analysis will combine to help listeners understand the tectonic plates shifting under the sporting events they love, and empower them to simultaneously revel in the sporting genius on display, and take action against the grave injustices that have been wrought.

Share World Corrupt Episode 3: Qatar’s path to the World Cup

Sign up to save your podcasts

World Corrupt Episode 3: Qatar’s path to the World Cup

World Corrupt Episode 3: Qatar’s path to the World Cup

More shows like World Corrupt

On the Media

Radiolab

This American Life

Fresh Air

Hang Up and Listen

Freakonomics Radio

99% Invisible

Men In Blazers

Pod Save America

Pod Save the World

Pod Save the People

Shadow Kingdom

Keep It!

Decoder Ring

Hysteria

The Wilderness

It Could Happen Here

Throughline

This Land

Strict Scrutiny

What A Day

Consider This from NPR

Missing America

Hard Fork

Offline with Jon Favreau

Another Russia

Work Appropriate

Radiolingo

Pod Save the UK

Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto

Dissident at the Doorstep

Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams