October 27 – Australia’s World Cup squad are the latest country to take aim at Qatar’s human rights record, issuing a three-minute video focussing on treatment of foreign workers and restrictions on the LGBTQI+ community.
Football Australia also released a statement saying the “suffering” felt by workers and their families caused by the tournament “cannot be ignored”.
The group video featuring 16 players comments: “We stand with Fifpro, the Building and Wood Workers International, and the International Trade Union Confederation, seeking to embed reforms and establish a lasting legacy in Qatar.
“This must include establishing a migrant resource centre, effective remedy for those who have been denied their rights, and the decriminalisation of all same-sex relationships.
“These are the basic rights that should be afforded to all and will ensure continued progress in Qatar and a legacy that goes well beyond the final whistle of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
The players acknowledged some reforms such as the abolition of the antiquated ‘kafala’ system that tied workers to their employers – which enabled employers to take away workers’ passports and block them from leaving the country – but said these did not go far enough.
Qatar authorities are at pains to dismiss the criticism but it shows little sign of abating in the build-up to the tournament.
Australia’s Group opponents Denmark have also made a protest against human rights abuses while players from nine European countries will wear ‘One Love’ armbands to protest Qatar’s laws around same-sex relationships.
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