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Ok, so I don't follow soccer and know next to nothing at all about Qatar.
But is it really possible to hold the World Cup in a country with Qatar's drinking laws?
Surely Qatar and the FIFA can both see the trains coming down track on this one. 
PS. The more I read the worse it seems. I thought the World cup was usually the occasion of a great deal of televised revelry. What will happen to Qatar's reputation (such as it is) in the West when it lashes some drunken revelers, and what will happen to it's immunity from AQ attacks if it doesn't?
But is it really possible to hold the World Cup in a country with Qatar's drinking laws?
Buying alcohol in Qatar
Also see: No new permits at the QDC!
Laws
Qatar is a place where people, including Muslims, can legally buy alcohol and then be taken to court for drinking it. Earlier this year an Egyptian man had some beers on a plane on the way here to try and forget the toothache he had. After checking in at his hotel he got a taxi and asked the driver to take him to a dental clinic. Instead, the driver took him to the police station and he ended up receiving lashes for being inebriated. When the sentence was passed, he wept (source: Gulf Times).
I wanted to clarify the laws regarding alcohol. Yet when I rang the Qatar Distribution Company, the only legal distributor of alcohol in the country, they claimed not to know the laws regarding alcohol. However, Qatar Law states that drunken behaviour in public or driving under the influence of alcohol is an offence punished by imprisonment, a fine or both (www.qatarlaw.com). As Sharia law is practised for Muslims, the punishment for Muslims may include lashing.
Where to buy alcohol in Doha
The only licensed shop you can buy alcohol at is the Qatar Distribution Company. To do so you need an alcohol permit, which can be obtained at the centre. Unfortunately, you can’t enter the shop without an alcohol permit, and you can only get an alcohol permit in the shop. You can also buy alcohol from hotels, which are (wait for it) supplied by the Qatar Distribution Company.
Requirements
To obtain an alcohol permit you need a letter from your employer written in English. This must be signed and stamped by an authorised person in your company and be addressed to the Qatar Distribution Company. It must state the applicant’s position, basic salary (must be above 4000 riyals or 1100 dollars, and the letter must use the word basic), state if an accommodation entitlement is received or if the applicant receives free accommodation and whether the applicant is married. The applicant must also provide their ID/passport and residence permit (photocopies are acceptable) and a 1000 riyal (275 dollar) returnable deposit. You also have to complete an application form, and state your religion. All completed forms must be in backwards gothic Sanskrit script size 12 ¾ and with triple spacing, and should be aesthetically pleasing. (Actually, I just made up the last condition.)
Also see: No new permits at the QDC!
Laws
Qatar is a place where people, including Muslims, can legally buy alcohol and then be taken to court for drinking it. Earlier this year an Egyptian man had some beers on a plane on the way here to try and forget the toothache he had. After checking in at his hotel he got a taxi and asked the driver to take him to a dental clinic. Instead, the driver took him to the police station and he ended up receiving lashes for being inebriated. When the sentence was passed, he wept (source: Gulf Times).
I wanted to clarify the laws regarding alcohol. Yet when I rang the Qatar Distribution Company, the only legal distributor of alcohol in the country, they claimed not to know the laws regarding alcohol. However, Qatar Law states that drunken behaviour in public or driving under the influence of alcohol is an offence punished by imprisonment, a fine or both (www.qatarlaw.com). As Sharia law is practised for Muslims, the punishment for Muslims may include lashing.
Where to buy alcohol in Doha
The only licensed shop you can buy alcohol at is the Qatar Distribution Company. To do so you need an alcohol permit, which can be obtained at the centre. Unfortunately, you can’t enter the shop without an alcohol permit, and you can only get an alcohol permit in the shop. You can also buy alcohol from hotels, which are (wait for it) supplied by the Qatar Distribution Company.
Requirements
To obtain an alcohol permit you need a letter from your employer written in English. This must be signed and stamped by an authorised person in your company and be addressed to the Qatar Distribution Company. It must state the applicant’s position, basic salary (must be above 4000 riyals or 1100 dollars, and the letter must use the word basic), state if an accommodation entitlement is received or if the applicant receives free accommodation and whether the applicant is married. The applicant must also provide their ID/passport and residence permit (photocopies are acceptable) and a 1000 riyal (275 dollar) returnable deposit. You also have to complete an application form, and state your religion. All completed forms must be in backwards gothic Sanskrit script size 12 ¾ and with triple spacing, and should be aesthetically pleasing. (Actually, I just made up the last condition.)
PS. The more I read the worse it seems. I thought the World cup was usually the occasion of a great deal of televised revelry. What will happen to Qatar's reputation (such as it is) in the West when it lashes some drunken revelers, and what will happen to it's immunity from AQ attacks if it doesn't?
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