{"id":146998,"date":"2022-11-23T15:33:07","date_gmt":"2022-11-23T14:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=146998"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:31","slug":"no-world-cup-boycott-on-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/11\/23\/no-world-cup-boycott-on-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"No World Cup boycott on campus"},"content":{"rendered":"

The World Cup in Qatar is accompanied by many a scandal: stories about poor working conditions for migrant workers, criticism of the human rights situation in the country and the dubious awarding of the tournament. Some sports fans therefore boycott the championship, while others continue to watch faithfully. Can you visit the campus for the World Cup?<\/p>\n

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Campus pub In de Smitse is in Orange mood Monday night.<\/span><\/p>

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At Caf\u00e9 In de Smitse, the atmosphere is good on Monday evening.\u00a0 The Dutch team plays its first match of this World Cup against Senegal and football fans have flocked to the student pub to watch. The pub broadcasts all the Dutch matches and is completely decked out in orange: hats, flags and, above all, lots of orange shirts.<\/p>\n

Dubble feeling<\/h2>

Koen van Tiggelen (22) thinks the preparations for the World Cup have been crooked, especially the issue surrounding the construction of the stadiums: \u201cFIFA should have been liable for the poor working conditions there.\u201d Still, he faithfully watches the Netherlands\u2019 matches this World Cup: \u201cIt does feel double that something you are so looking forward to is put under the microscope, but it is still cool to see your country in action.\u201d<\/p>\n

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It feels double, Koen thinks, but he still thinks it's cool to see his country in action.<\/span><\/p>

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He reads a lot in the news about boycotts, but in his own circle of friends, Koen does not notice supporters dropping out. In his position as a board member of the Erasmus Recruitment Days, it is very different: \u201cOur sponsors don\u2019t want anything to do with the World Cup or football. If we suggested having an action about the Dutch team or putting up a PlayStation with FIFA, they would immediately drop out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enjoyable evenings<\/h2>

Fee Steijaert (21), president of Caf\u00e9 In de Smitse, explains why the campus pub broadcasts the matches. \u201cWe started preparations a long time back and saw the World Cup mainly as a good opportunity to attract people to the pub. Within the board, we didn\u2019t really consider whether it was responsible to broadcast the matches, we only discussed that in the last few days. In hindsight, we could have been more conscious about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For Smitse president Fee Steijaert, sociability was the deciding factor in considering broadcasting the games.<\/span><\/p>

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Still, Fee does not think the board would have made a different choice. \u201cWe did have good discussions in the end, but our consideration was mainly about organizing enjoyable evenings. I also think that every student does know what is going on and a lot of awareness was created.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Erasmus Pavilion, the grand caf\u00e9 on campus, also broadcasts the matches. On Monday evening, just under 20 people are watching the match during dinner; apart from the TV, there is not really an \u2018orange\u2019 atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Downsides<\/h2>

In the canteen at Erasmus Sport, all matches are broadcast within the opening hours of the sports complex. The university\u2019s sports organisation even links a promotion to the World Cup: anyone who buys a sports pass during the group phase gets their money back if the Netherlands wins the World Cup. On Monday, thirty students watch the game against Senegal, eating fries after their workout. Again, it is a bit more subdued than at In de Smitse, no orange shirts in sight.<\/p>\n

There was discussion on the issue, says Jon de Ruijter, director of Stichting Erasmus Sport, but his colleagues and he decided to broadcast the matches. \u201cWe have seen the criticism of the World Cup and broadcasting is a thorny issue, but sport is our core business, so we preferred that.\u201d Erasmus Sport does offer room for discussion. On Wednesday 23 November, for instance, there will be a World Cup Talkshow<\/a> in collaboration with Studium Generale, which will also focus on the darker sides of the World Cup.<\/p>\n

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You can also watch Monday night's match at Erasmus Sport. On Wednesday evening, Erasmus Sport and Studium Generale are hosting a talk show about the World Cup.<\/span><\/p>

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Student football association R.S.V. Antibarbari, on the other hand, pays little attention to the World Cup. The association is not organising any events or holding any actions around the championship in Qatar. They do not boycott completely; if a member asks if the TV can be turned on for a match, it is not forbidden.<\/p>\n\n\t

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