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FIFA urges World Cup teams to ‘focus on football’ in Qatar
In a letter made public by Sky News on Thursday, FIFA urged the nations competing in the contentious Qatar World Cup to “concentrate on sport” and cease “handing out moral lessons.”
Regarding the treatment of foreign employees on important World Cup infrastructure projects, as well as women’s and LGBTQ rights, Qatar has come under fire for its human rights record.
Homosexuality is prohibited in the Gulf state, and in an anti-discrimination effort, captains from several prominent European nations, including England, France, and Germany, will wear armbands in rainbow colours with the phrase “One Love.”
Last week, the Australian national team condemned the “suffering” of migrant workers.
“Please let’s now focus on the football!” FIFA president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Fatma Samoura said in a letter sent to all 32 World Cup teams, confirmed to AFP by world football’s governing body.
“We know football does not live in a vacuum and we are equally aware that there are many challenges and difficulties of a political nature all around the world.
“But please do not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists.”
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Qatar organisers have defended the country’s rights record.
After the Australian players’ criticism, a World Cup spokesperson said imposing “robust” labour laws had also been a “challenge” for Australia.
Earlier this week, the Arab League states slammed criticism of Qatar as a “defamation campaign” ahead of the tournament.
“One of the great strengths of the world is indeed its very diversity, and if inclusion means anything, it means having respect for that diversity,” continued the FIFA letter.
“No one people or culture or nation is ‘better’ than any other.”
Qatar Labour Minister Ali bin Samikh Al Marri told AFP on Wednesday that calls for a new compensation fund for migrant workers was a “publicity stunt”.
He also accused some of the country’s critics of “racism”.
“They don’t want to allow a small country, an Arab country, an Islamic country, to organise the World Cup,” Marri said.
