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Dominique Metzger: Journalist covering Qatar World Cup shocked by cops' response after robbery

Dominique Metzger went to the police station after someone stole her money and credit cards, and 'that was when the cultural differences began'

DOHA, QATAR: An Argentine journalist has shared her appalling experience in Qatar while covering FIFA World Cup 2022. Dominique Metzger was reportedly doing live coverage for Argentine outlet TN from the Corniche area of Doha when someone stole money, credit cards, and other documents from her bag.

Metzger went to a local police station to file a complaint but was taken aback by what followed. In a now-disappeared Instagram Story, she apparently said, “I went through a situation that we talk about all the time: the different thing is that it happened here, which they say is the safest place. We were here, in this beautiful place, but a few hours ago it was full of people. It was a theft, it was not violent at all.”

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Metzger continued, “I went to the station and that was when the cultural differences began. The policewoman said to me, 'We have high-tech cameras everywhere and we are going to locate him [the thief] with face detection. What do you want the justice system to do when we find him?' What justice do you want? What sentence do you want us to give him? Do you want him to be sentenced to five years in prison? Do you want him to be deported?”

“They insisted on asking me what penalty I wanted, that I could decide,” the reporter explained. “But no, I was saying that I wanted my things to appear. I did not want to put myself in the place of justice. She gave me goosebumps, because she seemed very strong to me.”

Metzger’s experience sparked a conversation on Twitter. “Not anyone from Qatar bc those guys don’t steal but be those kids from Europe or USA.” Someone else noted, “If this was a telltale game I would just not press a button and let the game decide his fate. But if it was one of those major story changing decision where you are forced to pick, then I would go with prison. If you deport him he might come back and do something terrible to you.” Another commented, “The scary part is how confident they are they will catch the thief!”

This comes after FIFA and the hosting nation faced backlash for banning alcohol at World Cup stadiums. In a statement, FIFA said, “Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar's FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters.”

The decision was met with anger as a German fan named Daniel Schwestka told DailyMail, “Football without beer is not football. I go to many matches even in the third German leagues, and you can have a beer. It is normal to drink beer at football and this is the World Cup.” Another fan Brian Davidson added, “I’m devastated, it doesn't make sense. What's wrong with having a beer at a match? 

“Beer wasn't going to be sold inside the stadiums anyhow, just on the concourse," he added. "Millions of people are coming from all over the world and they just want to watch football, enjoy the sun and knock back a few beers. I'll just have to go to the Fan Zones or a hotel for a drink but it's a real pity that the Qataris have implemented this ban.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.