As Qatar rolls preparations for the first World Cup held in the Middle East next November, a statue installed in Doha has stirred questions over its purpose, as it portrays a historic moment in the history of World Cups involving the French player of Algerian roots, Zinedine Zidane.
The statue shows the French player Zinedine Zidane as he attacked Italy's player Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup finale between the two national teams.
The 5-metre bronze work called Coup de Tete was removed days after its unveiling after people in the conservative Muslim country criticised it for promoting idolatry and others said it encouraged violence.https://t.co/aRKdvWfPNf
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The famous "head-butt" Zidane gave to Marco Materazzi in 2006 had resulted in Zidane's immediate suspension from the game, which was later won by Italy.
Yet, a 16-feet bronze statue created by Algerian-French artist Adel Abdessemed has been installed at the center of an exhibit at Doha's new international sports museum several days ago, sparking questions over the move and whether or not it "glorifies" violence in sports by the country tasked with hosting and organizing the next international tournament.
The museum is part of the Qatar Museums entity headed by Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, sister of Qatar's Emir.
"One of the things we’re trying to teach and empower people through art is facts about life. So with the Zinedine Zidane sculpture, we’ll be talking a lot about the stress on athletes under big tournaments and the importance of dealing with issues of mental health." - Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Defending the decision of installing the statue in the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad explained that Zidane is "a great friend of Qatar and he’s a great role model for the Arab world", explaining that the statue's message highlights the different obstacles athletes face throughout their careers.
The statue was first installed in Qatar in 2013, before local backlash over "sculptures status in Islam" led to its removal back then. It was then on display in the Paris-based Convention Center of Rennes Métropole.
