World Cup 2022: a draw and still the thorny question on human rights in Qatar
The 72nd FIFA Congress in Doha, Qatar, March 31, 2022. AFP - FRANCK FIFE
Text by: Farid Achache Follow
6 mins
The football planet is gathered in Qatar, where President Gianni Infantino opened the annual FIFA Congress on Thursday March 31 before the draw which will take place on April 1.
Since 2015, several media and NGOs have also denounced a large number of deaths on construction sites in the country.
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"
The long road to the tournament has been marred by human rights scandals and poor working conditions, but there have also been encouraging signs of progress
," players' union FIPPro and the BWI wrote on Wednesday (March 30). International Union of Wood and Construction Workers) who are calling for a "Migrant Workers' Center" in Qatar just before the draw on April 1, to sustain the reforms obtained after the competition.
"
Workers continue to be subjected to abusive practices.
Unscrupulous employers oppose reforms and are not held to account.
The most vulnerable workers from countries such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan and some African countries still fear reprisals if they speak out against exploitation, unpaid wages and long working hours. work
," explain FIPPro and BWI.
When
The Guardian
sets foot in the dish
When it comes to knowing the groups for
the 2022 World Cup
, Qatar is at the center of attention until December, with its "sports diplomacy" as a backdrop.
By winning the most popular competition on the planet at the end of 2010, to everyone's surprise and at the cost of multiple controversies, this gas micro-State offered itself a rise in its notoriety that was as dazzling as it was risky.
Since this award, many have denounced the working conditions on the sites linked to the event.
In a new survey published in February 2021, the British daily
The Guardian
reported
6,500
deaths
among migrant workers, mainly from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka.
Already in September 2013,
The Guardian
published a shock report on construction sites in Qatar, speaking of "
exploitation
" of migrant workers which "
akin to modern slavery
".
Fifa "
summons
" the country to react.
From 2016, the emirate abolished the "kafala", a sponsorship system making employees quasi-properties of their employer.
The designation by Fifa of this sandy peninsula as large as the Ile-de-France, devoid of infrastructure the dimensions of a World Cup and stifling in summer, has caused a lot of ink to flow.
Qatar managed to build the eight required stadiums on time, but by using tens of thousands of migrant workers in grueling conditions, in scorching temperatures and for poverty wages, documented by international unions and the press.
Yet Qatar, which lifted the ban on workers changing employers and introduced a minimum hourly wage of $1.30 in a country with a GDP per capita of $66,000 a year,
►
To read: World Cup 2022: one year from kick-off, Qatar is still under fire from critics
For Amnesty International, the situation is still worrying
“
On paper things have changed.
Especially in communication.
But in fact, the situation is worrying
, explains to RFI, Lola Schulmann, advocacy officer for Amnesty International France.
The pace is picking up and there could be even more workers' rights violations by November.
There are still months of salary arrears and passport confiscations.
And the accommodation conditions are sometimes pitiful.
We alert Fifa regularly.
We have to get things moving on the side of the federations and the supporters.
We hope that during the FIFA congress
,
the federations will publicly demand accountability
".
Amnesty International France calls on the French Football Federation (FFF) to take action against these violations of the rights of thousands of migrant workers in Qatar.
Two hundred and eleven federations are affiliated with Fifa.
Several teams (Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany) displayed signs of protest during qualifying matches.
From the question of human rights in a country that practices the death penalty, to the criminalization of homosexuality, through the guardianship system for women: criticism of Western footballers is increasing as the event approaches.
In March 2021, the German international of Real Madrid, Toni Kroos, gave his feelings: “
I find that the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar was not a good thing
(…).
The first reason is the conditions of the workers (...) then the fact that homosexuality is penalized and punished in Qatar
”.
Gianni Infantino at the 72nd FIFA Congress in Doha, March 31, 2022. AFP - FRANCK FIFE
Historic legislative reforms have been introduced according to Fifa
For its part, Fifa boasts in advance of the “
international standards and practices
” that its World Cup will leave to the workers.
In mid-March 2022, the President of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, met with the Minister of Labor of Qatar and welcomed the "
significant progress made over the last decade
" on the rights and well-being of workers.
"
Historic legislative reforms have been introduced and have already brought concrete benefits to hundreds of thousands of migrant workers
," said Gianni Infantino in a statement from Fifa, just after his meeting with this minister.
"
There are still challenges ahead – as in many other countries around the world – but the progress made in recent times is undeniable, as is the commitment to bringing about positive social change,
” it also read.
The international football body is also entering a period of risk: the World Cup in Qatar has remained tainted since the origin by accusations of corruption, which have taken away almost all of its officials at the time and can resurface at any time. .
For several years, ethical questions around major competitions have only grown, making the Olympics or the World Cups of football grounds for mobilization for governments, NGOs and athletes themselves.
Fifa has just banned Russian football after the invasion of Ukraine.
She may be strongly criticized if she fails to denounce other violations of human rights.
Just before the Fifa congress, Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party urged its federation to "
put political and social issues on the table
” related to the 2022 World Cup.
Before the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar, this Gulf country, where immigrant workers represent 88% of the population, was already singled out by NGOs who denounced exploitation likened to "
a modern form of slavery
".
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