Fifa has said “fair working conditions with a lasting effect must be introduced quickly in Qatar” after Sepp Blatter admitted that widespread abuse of migrant workers was “unacceptable” following a meeting with international union leaders in Zurich.
World football’s governing body has come under pressure to act in the wake of an investigation that revealed the scale of the abuse of migrant workers in Qatar who are building the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup.
Blatter recently travelled to Doha to meet with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and later gave a press conference in which he said the country’s rulers were “on the right track” in dealing with the issue.
But after meeting with Wolfgang Niersbach, president of the Confederation of German Trade Unions, and Michael Sommer, president of the International Trade Union Confederation, Fifa said that the trio had agreed that "fair working conditions must be introduced quickly, consistently and on a sustained basis in Qatar".
'Fundamentally transformed'
Sommer said trade unions would not rest until conditions were "fundamentally transformed" but that Fifa made it clear they took their "responsibilities on social policy seriously".
He added: “Fifa recognises that its international significance brings a responsibility to influence decision-makers in Qatar.
“Qatar must guarantee the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation, end discrimination and forced labour and allow freedom of association for its 1.3 million migrant workers. We as trade unions maintain our demand: if Qatar does not respond properly, then consequences must follow, and the World Cup be taken from Qatar.”
The ITUC has warned that as many as 4,000 migrant workers could die before a ball is kicked in 2022, while a new in-depth Amnesty report last Sunday revealed wide-scale and endemic mistreatment of workers, many of whom are tied to their employer under the kafala system.
Blatter admitted that the situation was "unacceptable" but the Fifa president said publicity generated by awarding the World Cup to Qatar had helped draw attention to the issue. "I am convinced Qatar is taking the situation very seriously. These very discussions about Qatar show what an important role football can play in generating publicity and thus bringing about change."
Guardian Service
