Should we boycott the FIFA World Cup in Qatar because of human rights violations?
The question arises, while an investigation recently revealed the extent of the deaths of immigrant workers on the Pharaonic construction sites of the event.
Several initiatives call for not going to this competition.
A call that follows the publication on February 23, 2021 of an investigation by the Guardian.
According to their tally, at least 6,500 migrant workers have died in stadium construction sites in Qatar since 2010. The British daily has collected and compiled data from authorities in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, India. or Pakistan, but believe that their number could still be underestimated since the embassies of Kenya and the Philippines, two countries providing labor to Qatar, have not responded to their requests.
Qatar denies these accusations.
According to their own official figures, only 37 migrants out of two million immigrant workers have died on construction sites since December 2010. The Gulf country attributes the other deaths to "natural causes" and argues that "the death rate within of these communities is within the range expected for the size and demographics of the population.
"We can no longer sit and watch people die in the name of football"
The heavy price paid by immigrant workers for this World Cup revolts even football clubs.
After the publication of this investigation, the Norwegian club of Tromsø IL cracked a statement: "The fact that corruption, modern slavery and a high number of dead workers are at the base of the most important thing that we have, the World Cup, is not acceptable at all. We can no longer sit and watch people die in the name of football, "the club said.
"Criticism and dialogue have failed. We believe it is time to take the next step: boycott."
Tromsø IL oppfordrer NFF til boikott av VM 2022!
The klubbens uttalelse.https: //t.co/DBdIyKIAKn
- TIL (@TromsoIL) February 26, 2021
Their appeal did not leave indifferent.
The clubs Viking FK, Strømsgodset, Rosenborg, Vålerenga and Brann have supported the initiative which, if it goes to the end, would mean depriving the young prodigy Erling Haaland of his first World Cup.
In Denmark, the boycott in front of Parliament?
In Denmark, the idea of a boycott of the World Cup if the national team qualifies is also gaining ground.
Fans of several major Danish clubs (FC Copenhagen, Bröndby, Aalborg) launched a petition in December and the appeal was relayed by radical party politician Jens Rohde.
If the petition collects 50,000 signatures by June, the proposal will have to be debated in the local parliament.
As of March 4, 2021, it had 6,817.
Så er det nu.
@LBauerDK, @ChrRothmann, @ po3ten, @smothf, @Folkver og Jeg har oprettet and borgerforslag for boykot af VM 2022 fra politisk hånd.
Der bliver langt op til 50k underskrifter, så vi håber i vil underskrive og dele det alle steder.
#BoykotQatar https://t.co/sPog9AfyfH
- Casper Fischer Raavig (@ Fiscker89) December 11, 2020
Danish coach Kasper Hjulmand said he would respect the wishes of those of his players who refuse to participate in the competition.
However, the boycott movement still lacks weight.
It is not insulting them to say that Norway and Denmark weigh less in the football world than France, Germany or Brazil, which, for the moment, do not seem to be making a move in this direction. .
The president of the Norwegian Football Association, Terje Svendsen, who agrees with the criticisms leveled against Qatar, sums up the situation: "We do not think it helps anyone if little Norway boycotts on its side."
Will the stars dare?
For Nicolas Kssis-Martov, journalist at So Foot and author of "Playgrounds, land of struggles: Militant-es du sport" (Workshop editions), the boycott may come from the players themselves, while In recent months, athletes have shown their commitment: Frenchman Antoine Griezmann has thus broken off a partnership with the Chinese company Huawei to protest against the situation of the Uyghurs.
He and Kylian Mbappé have also taken a stand against police violence.
“Boycotting a World Cup is another level. It is an extremely important moment for a footballer who only performs two or three times in a career. To say 'I will not go there for ethical reasons and moral 'would be extremely particular. But that would be necessary ", judge Nicolas Kssis-Martov, at the microphone of France 24." The question of boycott has already arisen on other competitions in Brazil, China, Russia for reasons of respect for human rights but this is about human lives. Do the players want to play in a cemetery? "
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