Two England fans who have been in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup went viral after saying that they ended up at a Sheikh’s palace while looking for beer. During their ‘beer hunt,’ the football enthusiasts struck into a conversation with Nawaf and Abdul Aziz. They then trailed them to their home, with one of them professing to be the son of a Sheikh.
In a new viral video, the duo, who were sporting jerseys with Everton and national team logos, detailed their unusual exploits at the tournament this weekend. One of the two supporters, John, revealed an unintentional contact with royalty the night before when seeking something to drink while discussing the “set up” at the fan park in Qatar.
The two Everton fans who went looking for beers and ended up in a Sheikhs palace chilling with a lion. 🤣🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/IvIBDpCOLu
— 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 (@thecasualultra) November 21, 2022
“Last night we met one of the Sheikh’s sons and he took us back to the palace,” he added, describing how they were reportedly allowed to visit the sheikh’s son’s exotic animal collection. “He showed us his lions and everything. They’ve made us feel really welcome,” he added.
He showed glimpsed of the lavish villa and shared clips of himself playing with the four-year-old lion that was tied to a leash like a puppy.
“Basically, we were on a bit of a hunt for some beers and he was like ‘yes, we sort beers, we sort beers,’ so we jumped into the back of his Toyota Landcruiser, ended up at a big palace,” the younger of the two guys recalled. “He showed his monkeys and exotic birds to us. It was nuts,” he added.
After promising alcohol availability, Qatar prohibited the sale of beer and other alcoholic drinks in World Cup stadiums just two days before the start of the major league. While football fans from over the world who travelled to Qatar are dissatisfied by the organisers’ unexpected change of heart, numerous English supporters sought a refund as a result of this move.
Statement on beer sales at #WorldCup stadiums 🏟️ on behalf of FIFA and Host Country 🇶🇦: pic.twitter.com/o4IEhboXks
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) November 18, 2022
Fans risk being jailed, flogged over vague laws in the gulf country
Even before it commenced on November 20, the 2022 FIFA World Cup was steeped in controversy. The selection of Qatar as the host country, a conservative Islamic country, has put spectators and players at risk of being penalised due to Qatar’s extremely harsh restrictions.
According to The Sun, football fans face charges of ‘public drunkenness’ for drinking and ‘offending’ someone. Importantly, consuming alcohol in public can result in a 6-month jail sentence and a large fine.
In addition to jail time and fines, people discovered breaking the vague regulations governing alcohol drinking may be flogged. Flirting, furious confrontations, and throwing insults may all land football fans in jail. The same is true for taking photos without consent.
Furthermore, homosexuals may face up to 7 years in jail for ‘same-sex’ conduct. Detainees have minimal protection against unjust prosecution due to the Qatari government’s retrograde stance.
