It will be one year in 21 days until the opening of the Soccer World Cup Qatar Tournament.
Large-scale construction work is underway in the field for the Games, but it has been pointed out that foreign workers are dying one after another in a poor environment, and the Qatar government has dispelled concerns about human rights. ) It is asked whether it can be done.
In Qatar, the first Soccer World Cup in the Middle East is scheduled to open on November 21, next year, and the Qatar government aims to mobilize a total of 1.2 million spectators through the tournament for nearly a month.
On the 21st, one year before the opening, a countdown clock was installed in the capital Doha to display the number of days and time until the opening in order to improve the momentum for the tournament.
In Doha and its surroundings, seven new stadiums and subways have been constructed for the Games, and road expansion work and hotel construction are still underway.
However, an international human rights group has reported that thousands of workers from South Asia who are in charge of construction work have died in the last 10 years due to long working hours in the harsh heat, and the cause is being investigated. He points out that he has not been exhausted and is calling for improvements in the working environment and contract types that are favorable to employers.
These opinions have also come from countries that have acquired the right to participate in the Games, and the Qatar government, which has been developing at a rapid pace by utilizing the labor force of foreigners, can dispel concerns about human rights. It has been.
"There is room for improvement in the working environment of workers. We would like to continue dialogue with international organizations and human rights groups and put into practice what we can do," said Nuaimi, director of communication at the Qatar government's committee, which oversees the preparations for the Games. I am.
Infantino, president of the FIFA International Football Federation, who witnessed the installation of the countdown clock, said, "Human rights are an important issue, but they need to be improved but more work is needed. We are positive and positive through the power of football. I would like to bring about this, "he said, and expressed his intention to urge the Qatar government to respond.
First Soccer World Cup in the Middle East
The Qatar Tournament is the first soccer World Cup to be held in the Middle East.
As a result of a vote by the directors of the FIFA = International Football Federation held in 2010, Japan was selected as the venue for the 2022 tournament.
Suspicions of fraud such as acquisitions have surfaced over the bid for the tournament, and US and French authorities have launched an investigation into FIFA executives and others, but the truth has not yet been clarified.
Since the tournament was originally scheduled to be held from June to July, the Qatar side showed a plan to install a cooling device in the stadium as a measure against the heat with a maximum temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius in the invitation activity. However, FIFA has since taken unusual steps to change the dates from late November to December, a relatively comfortable time.
The match is scheduled to be held at eight venues in five cities, including the capital Doha, and qualifying is currently being held around the world for 31 slots, excluding the host country Qatar.
The Qatar government aims to mobilize a total of 1.2 million spectators, which is almost half of the population, through the tournament, which lasts for nearly a month.
Employment environment for foreign workers International human rights groups seek improvement
In the capital Doha and its suburbs, construction of stadiums and subways has almost been completed for the upcoming tournament a year later, and urban development such as hotel construction and road maintenance is currently underway at a rapid pace.
These works are mainly carried out by foreign workers from South Asia such as India, Bangladesh and Nepal, but the international human rights group Amnesty International has killed thousands since 2010 when the convention was decided to be invited. However, he points out that the investigation of the cause has not been exhausted, and is calling for improvements such as long working hours in severe heat and contract forms that are advantageous to employers.
The Qatar government has said that it is trying to improve the employment environment by deciding to introduce a minimum wage, but in the European qualifying in March, German and Norwegian players said, Entering the venue wearing a shirt that says "human rights," the media reportedly appealed to improve the situation in which Qatari workers were placed.
In addition, the Danish Football Association, which won the right to participate this month, issued a statement on the 17th, restricting the attendance of team members to related events held locally before the tournament, and practicing what the national team wears during the tournament. It puts a message of human rights protection in the uniform and calls on the Qatari government to improve the treatment of workers.
Host country Qatar Oil Money Increasing influence on the background
来年11月に開幕するサッカーワールドカップの開催国、中東カタールはペルシャ湾に突き出た半島の大部分を占めています。
秋田県とほぼ同じ広さの国土に288万人が暮らしていますが、このうちカタール国民は人口の1割程度で、大半は外国出身の労働者だと言われています。
豊富な天然ガスから得られるオイルマネーが国民向けの手厚い医療や教育の財源となっていて、政治の全権を掌握するサーニ家の支配を支えています。
近年はスポーツ振興にも力を入れていて、サッカーワールドカップ出場は開催国枠が与えられた今回が初めてですが、2019年のアジアカップ決勝では日本を破って初優勝を果たしました。
また、政府系のカタール航空がヨーロッパの強豪クラブのスポンサーとなり、ドーハに本社を置くスポーツ専門チャンネルが国際試合の放送権を獲得するなど、資金力を背景にサッカー界における影響力を増しています。
今回のワールドカップも王族が招致の責任者を務め、強い権限や経済力を駆使して招致を成功に導きました。
日本のサッカー界にとっては、ワールドカップアメリカ大会の出場権をかけた1993年のアジア最終予選で、イラクとの試合終了間際に同点に追いつかれ、ワールドカップ初出場を逃した「ドーハの悲劇」の地としても知られています。
新型コロナウイルスをめぐっては、人口の85％がワクチンの接種を終え、最近では一日の新規感染者数は100人余りとなっています。
感染対策として、飲食店や商業施設などの利用者はスマートフォンのアプリを使ったワクチン接種証明の提示が義務づけられています。
In addition, foreign immigrants are required to submit a vaccination certificate and a negative PCR test certificate in advance, and immigrants from some countries such as the United Kingdom and UAE = United Arab Emirates are at designated facilities. Self-isolation is obligatory and strict regulations continue.