April 27 – The Danish FA (DBU) has called for a better legal human rights framework in Qatar, the 2022 World Cup host, and demanded that FIFA to investigate the “alleged death toll among Qatar’s migrant workers”.
In a letter to the world governing body, they argued that “human rights must be respected, existing legislation must be implemented, and a comprehensive study must be carried out into the alleged death toll among Qatar’s migrant workers”.
“We are against the allocation of the World Cup to Qatar and are critical of the human rights situation in the country,” said DBU CEO Jakob Jensen in a separate statement.
“We have raised that criticism for several years with relevant parties. In recent weeks, we have also had meetings with fans, commercial partners and other stakeholders and therefore we are now intensifying the pressure on FIFA, as we do not believe that the desired improvements for migrant workers have been met. We want action now – better today than tomorrow.”
The letter made several demands: a full implementation of already adopted labour rights legislation in Qatar and calls for further improvements, respect for fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of the press and expression as well as an investigation by Zurich. In March, The Guardian reported that about 6,500 migrant workers have died during the construction of World Cup infrastructure in Qatar.
The report prompted a public backlash in several European nations, including Denmark, where sponsors and fans raised concerns. The national team wore t-shirts in protest against the working conditions of the migrant workers in Qatar ahead of their qualifiers against both Moldova and Austria.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713875263labto1713875263ofdlr1713875263owedi1713875263sni@o1713875263fni1713875263