Qatar announces first arrests for fake World Cup merchandise
A man poses for a photo next to the FIFA World Cup Trophy while on display at the Katara cultural village in Qatar’s capital Doha.
Doha – Qatari authorities said Tuesday they had arrested five people for marketing counterfeit World Cup products, as migrant workers flocked to catch a glimpse of the tournament trophy.
The five were detained by the Gulf state’s cyber crimes police “for promoting the sale of clothes bearing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 logo without obtaining prior approval from FIFA,” the interior ministry said in a statement.
FIFA is world football’s governing body and Qatar will host the World Cup later this year.
Authorities in December raided a factory making perfume that was to be put in World Cup logo branded bottles, without arresting anyone. There is no official perfume.
The arrests declared on Tuesday are therefore the first to be announced in relation to World Cup counterfeiting in Qatar.
Acting on a tip off about a social media account selling t-shirts and hats bearing the World Cup symbol, police seized items. The unnamed suspects “confessed to the charges against them when presented with the evidence” and they will be referred to prosecutors, the statement added.
FIFA has sent out a “friendly reminder” in phone text messages to Qatari numbers to dissuade the illegal use of the tournament emblem and the World Cup.
Approved merchandise has gone on sale in stores, but cheap imitations are available in street markets and online.
Thousands of migrant labourers — many hired to build stadia and related infrastructure — meanwhile again turned out for the last day of a five day tour that has seen the World Cup trophy showcased in the host country.
But many were turned away before they were able to take a selfie with the six kilogrammes of gold that is kept inside a reinforced glass case.
Elizabeth Ochieng, a Kenyan office worker, said she queued for three hours in a Doha district on Monday and was unable to get close to the trophy.
“Tonight I was just (the) 10th (person) back from the trophy when they closed it off,” she said. “It is very disappointing.”
The trophy is due to appear in the United Arab Emirates on Friday and Bahrain next week as it embarks on a world tour of more than 50 countries before the tournament starts on November 21.