FAI urged to pressure Qatar on 'long-standing abuses of migrant workers'

The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar. 

League of Ireland club Bohemians and Amnesty International Ireland have called on the FAI to put pressure on Fifa and the Qatari authorities “on the long-standing abuses of migrant workers”.

It comes as Ireland are due to face 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar in an international friendly on Tuesday.

Bohs and Amnesty have said that the abuses of migrant workers include unpaid wages, excessively long working hours, severe restrictions on movement, appalling living conditions, and particularly in the case of domestic workers, verbal and physical abuse.

Last month, The Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since the World Cup was awarded.

Migrants make up 90% of Qatar’s workforce and Bohs and Amnesty claim that the World Cup would not have been possible in the country without them.

They say that the reforms that have been committed to have so far been weak and are already seeing backlash from parts of the local business community, “making this a critical moment in the fight for workers’ rights in Qatar”.

Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, has said the FAI has a responsibility to use its position to prevent human rights abuses.

“Football fans and players should be able to take part and enjoy the World Cup, confident that the migrant workers who made the World Cup possible are not victims of human rights abuses,” he said.

“The FAI have a responsibility under international human rights standards to use their leverage to prevent human rights abuses that they are linked to.

“So we're calling on the FAI to use the spotlight of the World Cup to come out publicly in support of the human rights of the workers, and to urge FIFA to take urgent action.

Mr O’Gorman said that while the Qatari government has committed “to reforming its abusive kafala sponsorship system” these reforms are “fragile and are facing backlash, so this is a critical moment”.

The kafala system gave companies control over migrant workers’ employment and immigration status.

Mr O'Gorman added: “We need the international pressure to continue to build and the FAI have a clear role in that.” 

Daniel Lambert, Chief Operating Officer for Bohs, said that they wanted to show solidarity “with the people who’ve built the very stadiums that enable this World Cup to take place”.

He said: “We are calling on the FAI to use their leverage with Fifa and Qatar, and speak out to try and achieve real, long-lasting change for migrant workers. We and our supporters want the legacy of the World Cup 2022 to be a positive one, not one where people are being horrifically exploited.

“We know that football can be a force for great good, let’s grasp this opportunity to demonstrate this on our biggest stage, the World Cup.” 

'Clear issue'

Ireland manager Stephen Kenny yesterday highlighted the issue of human rights in Qatar during a press conference.

His comments came after players from Germany, Norway and the Netherlands wore T-shirts voicing their collective concern ahead World Cup qualifiers in the last week.

Asked at his press conference ahead of Tuesday night’s game in Debrecen, Hungary, if his players would follow suit, Kenny said he had not discussed it with them, but added: “I’m all about freedom of speech. Any individual has the right to express their opinion, I have no problem with that.

“There is a clear issue with human rights in the building of stadiums in Qatar, and the number of people who have died. You can’t sweep that under the carpet, it can’t be ignored.

“Initially the Norwegian team and various other teams have backed that and they are entitled to do that, with good reason.

“It’s not acceptable for so many people to lose their lives. The disparity of wealth between rich and poor, to have people living in conditions of squalor and have people dying in those conditions is not acceptable.” 

The joint call from Bohs and Amnesty isn’t the first time they have teamed up.

The Dublin club's away jersey for 2020 had the words "Refugees Welcome" around the silhouette of a family fleeing war to campaign for an end to the Direct Provision system.

The jersey also featured the slogan “Love Football, Hate Racism” on the collar.

- additional reporting from PA