Women journalists before the World Cup in Qatar: without a veil but with decorum

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The Qatar World Cup kicks off next month, a top-level soccer event where

will compete for victory.

Naturally, an international meeting of this magnitude has many edges to organize, and FIFA, as the International Football Federation, and the Government of the Qatari state in

are involved .

As it is an Islamic country, customs are different from

ones and refer to a multitude of everyday situations, especially when it comes to women.

Therefore, FIFA has prepared a small (unisex) behavior guide for visitors and professionals in order to avoid

or awkward situations.

In it, carefully, the words 'rules' or 'obligations' are not used, but 'recommendations' and 'advice', so as not to hurt feelings.

Here they are, summarized, some:

These are red lines

• Don't stare.

  Neither to the eyes, nor to the face, nor to the clothes... It is impolite to do so and is even considered an insult to Qataris.

• Don't talk to the opposite sex.

  As a man, do not ask Qatari women for information.

  Many women will not want to and it is also not allowed.

  And he adds: if you have to deal with a woman for a professional or business matter, it is she who should take the initiative to shake her hand.

• Better without photos.

  Don't take photos of anyone without asking permission and when it comes to women and the elderly, don't take pictures of them in sensitive places.

  Caution must be taken especially when photographing police, military, etc.

• Alcohol free.

  Under Sharia law, alcohol, pornography, pork, and drugs cannot be brought into Qatar, and drinking alcohol is illegal.

  Only five star hotels are licensed to sell it.

  But beware, a

  beer will cost you between 10 and 15 euros.

  Do not get drunk or, of course, drive drunk.

• Other Qatari manners.

  It is not appropriate to show the soles of the feet or the shoes, because it is considered an insult.

  It is also not allowed to sit with your back to other guests.

  And if you eat with your fingers, don't do it with your left hand, always with your right.

  Punctuality is not a value that is highly valued in Qatar, so do not get upset if you meet someone and they are late.

Yo Dona has spoken to

who recount their experiences in past news coverage in Islamic countries.

They also talk about what they hope to find there, on the ground.

Silvia Barba (Rtve), a kiss and a 'cobra'

Courtesy Silvia Beard

His face is known for the work he does as a sports journalist on Rtve.

In the case of this coverage, she acknowledges that she will be

because the public corporation has the rights to the World Cup in Qatar.

This means that the executive producers of the chain have a 'direct line' with FIFA, and its professionals, very paved the way.

At least, in regards to her work and her previous preparations.

For this reason, the whole team is "very supported and relaxed in that sense".

Regarding the dress code, she also has no concerns, since the entire delegation will wear a

that will comply with the necessary decorum.

Silvia, for the moment, plans to put her sports clothes in her suitcase, since there will be a gym in the hotel where she can do a little exercise.

"The Qataris assume that the World Cup is an international event. We may say and do things that are not well understood, but they apologize and that's it," she sums up

.

It is not his first time in the country and naturalness, precisely, was his reaction on another occasion, before the pandemic.

"I am very direct and affectionate in personal treatment and although my camera had warned me, a businessman arrived. At the moment of greeting, I went to give him two kisses without realizing it. He made an

, but no longer there was a reverse gear. He didn't bother and he was very nice, too," he says with a laugh.

Helena Condis (Cope) expects "respect"

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The radio journalist has not been to Qatar before, but she has been to other Islamic countries, such as Saudi Arabia.

She did appreciate differences in her two visits.

"The first was in Jeddah, before covid, and in my hotel

," she recalls.

In both she had to dress with decorum, but never wear the veil.

On the other hand, when he had to go to Riyadh, he did not find these restrictions: "Perhaps it is because it is the capital and because they look a lot at Dubai. They want to receive tourism and advance in their opening to the world. In fact, there

and no one said anything to me," he explains.

However, he is suspicious: "I don't know if in these countries they take advantage of events of this magnitude to offer a more open image of what women later experience in their day-to-day lives."

In fact, she explains that in her two visits to Saudi Arabia, the presence of women in soccer stadiums is residual.

The journalist does not expect to live in Qatar any unpleasant experience: "I am sure that the organizers will be up to the task of a World Cup, and I hope it will be an event of integration and respect for all the cultures that we are going to live together there more than a month.

"I will adapt to their culture and I hope to receive that same respect," she concludes.

Marta García (Brand), with her piercings and her tattoos

Courtesy Marta Garcia

Marta García is an audiovisual producer for the newspaper Marca.

She has studied Arabic and has traveled on many occasions for work to Arab countries, from the United Arab Emirates, to Kuwait, passing through Saudi Arabia.

Her experience is summed up in

.

"In Saudi Arabia I went with dresses, suspenders and talked to anyone on the street, both men and women," he says.

She is convinced that the rules imposed by governments are not followed by the population in general.

Of his professional trips, he only keeps one negative anecdote: "In the Emirates I had a problem when I passed the audiovisual equipment through customs. I was trying to explain myself, but the official

. A male colleague had to intervene. It was unpleasant".

In the same Emirates, Marta says that she even went to cover a futsal event during Ramadan.

"I didn't have

with my clothes. You could even see my piercings and tattoos. They did catch their attention, because they were exotic, but everyone, men and women," she says.

For the World Cup in Qatar, she will go in a team of about 10 or 12 people, of which she is the

.

She hopes to repeat her past experiences, because she insists that despite the rules imposed by the authorities, she believes that "people on the street are very normal."

Antía André (Rne), in a subway car for men

Courtesy Antía André

She works in the Sports section of Rne and, like Silvia Barba, she will wear a uniform adjusted to decorum, not to the body.

She has already worked in Qatar and says sarcastically that it is not difficult to comply with the rule of not looking a Qatari in the eye, since in the stadiums it will not be easy and on the street "they are all

".

His experience on that occasion (the draw for the World Cup itself) is governed by normality, but he puts 'buts' on it.

On the one hand, he says that FIFA encapsulated the program so that they practically could not leave the draw zone, that is, to have them all controlled.

Antía, however, sacrificed one of the proposed activities to visit the center of Doha, the Qatari capital.

"My impression was that foreign women there live in an absolute bubble," she says.

"I went with black pants, a long-sleeved shirt and my hair down. I had the feeling that

. It was unpleasant," she recalls.

He also wanted to see what the subway was like.

Upon entering, she saw that there were two types of cars, one for families and one for 'individuals'.

She understood that her place, since she was going alone, was the second, but it turned out to be

.

"Nothing happened, but it was awkward," she says.

Regarding his work as a journalist itself, he points out some restrictions: "To record in specific areas, such as in the industrial area where the workers live, you have to ask for permits, but

. You also sign a document in which you You agree not to record in unauthorized places, for which your company has to take responsibility".

Verónica Brunati (Telemundo) and her male pseudonyms

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This Argentine producer and journalist specializing in

follows her country's national team, the Uruguayan team, and will also cover the information on 'La Roja' in Qatar.

Nor will it be his first time in Qatar.

"It's a more open country than others, like Saudi Arabia. When I've been, I've seen women study, drive, play sports... This World Cup is an opportunity to get to know their culture and it will surely

, because it's a very international event," says Veronica.

She has no problem respecting the recommendations that are put forward and except for avoiding going to a public beach in a bikini, she did not feel any other pressure or experience any other problem: "I went to the hotel's private one with a swimsuit and that's it. You have to respect it" .

He wore tank tops in Qatar ("it was very hot") and no one blamed him for anything, not even his ear piercing or his tattoos.

"Logically I didn't wear a miniskirt or tight shorts... It's the logical thing to do," she says.

In his day to day, regardless of the Islamic countries where he has traveled to work, Brunati confesses that he has forged the respect that he enjoys today in his profession based on 20 years of work and rigor.

"I started in 2003

, because there were no women in the sector", he confesses.

"Today I have the respect of teammates, players, coaches... but it's been an ant's path," he explains.

She has seen how other male colleagues signed her news, bosses who have harassed her, etc., but she has resisted: "It happens that many women in this profession are discouraged, but today there is an opening that there was not years ago."

So much so, that she

herself in her clothing so as not to attract attention.

On the contrary: "They told you that you were a botinera [a term referring to women who seek men with money]," she says.

Romina Vega (América Televisión and Canal N) and a heat of 47º

Courtesy Romina Vega

This

will not travel to Qatar because her team did not qualify, but she was there, precisely, during the qualifying matches last June.

She confesses that she came willingly to get to know her culture, so different from Latin America.

She says that at customs she had to answer in the negative three times when asked if her camera partner was her husband.

"They didn't understand why she didn't come from the other side of the world with a man and

," she says.

With 47ºC, he was hotter than in his entire life, but he avoided 'conflictive' garments.

Still, she took a bit of a risk and wore

shirts , which leave the shoulders bare.

No one caught his attention.

"I tried to be respectful and I think we have a lot to learn from them as well," she adds.

She does recognize that she was very "impressed" by the

, a dress in which women are not directly seen, and by the coexistence of tradition and cutting-edge technology.

"Skyscrapers really are amazing," she says.

If I had to recommend another professional to go to the World Cup: "It will surely be very different,

without alcohol and without excesses. But it is convenient to adapt because not everything is always our way," he ditches.

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