Qatar ruler hits back at anti-Arab attacks on FIFA World Cup

 The Emir of Qatar on Monday said he launched unprecedented attacks against Qatar, making it the first Arab country to host the World Cup. As the Gulf state faces questions about the treatment of foreign workers and the rights of women and the LGBTQ community, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani has acknowledged that Qatar is "not perfect". But he insisted he had implemented reforms "at lightning speed" since the 2010 World Cup was awarded.

"The Middle East has suffered from discrimination for decades," said the head of state of the energy-rich state less than six months after the start of the tournament on November 21 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

"And I have found that a large part of such discrimination is based on people not knowing us and, in some cases, refusing to know us. Even today, there are still people who cannot accept the idea that an Arab-Muslim country would host a tournament like the World Cup.

"These individuals, many of whom are in positions of influence, have launched attacks at an unprecedented rate," the Emir said.

Rights groups have criticized Qatar's record, while some football stars, including England captain Harry Kane, have also raised questions.

Last week, Amnesty International called on FIFA to set up a $440 million fund for "abused" workers in Qatar.

The Qatari leader said other countries and regions have already held major events "despite the fact that each of these countries has its own particular problems and challenges.

“Qatar, like your own country… is not perfect, constantly striving to improve and full of hope for a better future.

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"We are so proud of the development, the reforms, and the progress we have made and we are grateful for the spotlight that the World Cup has provided, which has inspired us to bring about these changes at the speed of the world," he said.

Qatar has spent billions of dollars on stadiums and infrastructure for the 32-nation tournament and the Emir has promised it will be a "special".Referral link