Bournbrook at Qatar
Bournbrook decided to send our special reporter to Qatar to investigate what effect the alcohol ban is having on the England supporters.
Photo: Fauzen Saari
The World Cup in Qatar has been blighted by a series of scandals almost from the very moment FIFA announced, some twelve years ago, that the Middle Eastern country would host the 2022 tournament. The latest controversy has been the decision by the Qatari authorities to impose a ban on beer in the fan zones.
Bournbrook decided to send our special reporter to Qatar to investigate what effect this is having on the England supporters.
Barry, ‘Wazza’ and ‘Hornsey’, three builders from Birmingham, said they had used the time they would have normally spent drinking with other England fans to visit the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. “It was simply magnificent,” said Wazza. “Of particular interest were the 14th century ceramics.”
“Yes. Quite stupendous,” added Hornsey. “And exemplars of the Mamluk period. Easy to understand why their ceramics and glasswork were prized throughout the Mediterranean and far into Europe.”
“The ceramics were of course wonderful,” said Barry. “But what caught my eye was a beautifully carved 12th century casket from Norman controlled Sicily. It was deeply moving to learn that we in England have a cultural connection to this part of the world.”
The three men plan to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Al Zubarah Archaeological Site before the England-USA match.
Elsewhere, Bournbrook met two members of the proscribed ‘Everton Firm’ group, infamous for its violent hooligan activities. Requesting that we identify them only by their nicknames, ‘Ronnie’ and ‘Goppa’, we asked the two men how they felt about the banning of beer.
“When one visits another country, one really ought to respect the culture there,” said Goppa. “I've spent two or three of the evenings here in Qatar familiarising myself with an English translation of the Qur’an, which is quite clear on the matter. If verses 2:219 and 4:43 weren’t enough, verse 5:90 plainly states that alcohol is a defilement from Satan.”
“True as far as it goes”, interrupted Ronnie, wearing an Everton replica jersey with the words ‘The Hit Man’ printed above the number nine on the back. “In fact, the Prophet Muhammad specified Khamr, widely translated as 'alcohol', as being made of grapes or dates. Perhaps, therefore, beer, being a grain based alcohol, should be exempt.”
“An absurd conjecture,” retorted Gopper. “As you well know, most Islamic jurists, including those from the Maliki, Shafiʽi, Hanbali, Ahl-i Hadith legal schools, have traditionally viewed Khamr as a general term for any intoxicating beverage. Sometimes, Ronald, one rather gets the impression that you’re being deliberately obtuse.”
Bournbrook did, however, find one visiting England fan who had managed to procure beer on the black market. We stopped him the day after the England-Iran match as he staggered around the Doha Sports City complex braying a slurred rendition of the Fat Les song, ‘Vindaloo’.
Identifying himself only as an ‘East End Mad Lad’, he said of the alcohol ban: “No bother with the beer, geezer! Can’t wait for the Wales match. Proper naughty rumble with the Taffy fans on the cards! It’s gonna be f****** epic!”
