World Cup paid-for supporters scheme ‘cancels fans daily allowance’
Fans who have gone to the World Cup in Qatar as part of a controversial Fan Leader Network scheme have reportedly been informed by Qatari authorities that their daily allowance has been cancelled.
The scheme, which has been labelled a paid-for supporters programme, is run by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy – the agency in charge of the World Cup in Qatar.
As part of the scheme, supporters will be paid to attend the World Cup and chant on command at matches and the opening ceremony.
Fans from each competing country are involved and according to the Times, will be instructed to deliver positive messages about their experience in the Gulf state and report critical social media posts.
The idea is also that the fans should sit together, singing and waving flags for the television cameras.
In return for staying in Qatar for a minimum of two weeks, it was reported they would enjoy free flights and accommodation as well as £60-a-day spending money on a pre-loaded card from tournament sponsor Visa.
They will also reportedly receive complimentary tickets to the opening ceremony and matches having signed a ‘code of conduct’ before they took off for Doha on November 17.
They will be urged to post favourable comments about the tournament on social media and report ‘any offensive, degrading or abusive comments’ to organisers, preferably with screenshots.
However, according to The Guardian, fans who have travelled have been informed that their daily allowance of £60 spending money has been cut.
The report states that the payment, which was supposed to be for food and drink and many supporters were reliant upon, was cancelled just as fans were getting ready to travel to Qatar.
Some members of the Fan Leader Network from two European countries revealed that the allowance was cancelled three days ago, with Qatari officials blaming the decision on the negative press coverage that came after the original news broke about fans being paid.
In a message that has been seen by The Guardian, fans were informed: ‘Due to the recent developments in the media, we are keen to protect our visiting fans from the erroneous misinformed statements regarding “fans receiving payment for the trip”.
‘Accordingly, the daily allowance will unfortunately no longer be issued. The allowance was intended as a small uplift on your own personal funds to assist with refreshments during your stay.’
This led to many concerned fans worrying about how they would be able to look after themselves while they were in the country – although all members of the Network had still travelled.
In an email sent to those involved in the scheme, it said: ‘We requested from the outset that you brought sufficient funds to cover your own living expenses and we have committed to cover flights, accommodation and opening match tickets.’
Dutch broadcaster NOS had previously revealed certain terms and conditions of the Fan Leader Network.
They reported that members of the scheme had particularly been asked to shine the tournament and experience of being there in a favourable light, with ‘liking’ and ‘resharing third-party posts’ on social media major element, along with reporting any content critical of the World Cup.
Commenting on the news that the allowance had been cut, the executive director of Football Supporters Europe, Ronan Evain, said: ‘Who would have thought that an authoritarian regime with an appalling workers’ rights record was not to be trusted? I suppose that’s what you get for accepting to be paid the equivalent of a Qatari monthly minimum wage every four days for the pleasure of doing absolutely nothing.’
