What We're Reading
French Soccer Player Trapped in Qatar Finally Free to Leave
- Guardian, Wednesday, November 27, 2013 2:45 PM
Zahir Belounis, a French soccer player trapped in Qatar without pay, has finally been granted an exit visa from the Arab country following a two-year struggle. Due to Qatar’s sponsorship system for migrant workers, Belounis was forced to remain in the country for the duration of his contract even though he had parted ways with his club, al-Jaish, which had not paid his wages in more than two years. An exit visa was finally granted after Belounis pleaded with Qatar 2022 ambassadors Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane for help. The story was picked up by press around the globe.
