In a letter signed on Sunday, these countries, which do not include France, ask for “concrete answers” concerning the compensation fund for migrant workers and the concept of a center for migrant workers in Doha.
The letter sent by Fifa last week did not please everyone. The football body asked the 32 countries participating in the World Cup in Qatar to “focus on football” during the month of competition. In other words, not to make waves and momentarily put aside human rights controversies. On Sunday, ten European federations signed a joint letter to remind FIFA of their desire to continue their policy of support for human rights in Qatar. Among the signatory nations, eight take part in the World Cup (England, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and Wales), to which are added Norway and Sweden. All are part of UEFA’s working group on human and labor rights. The French Football Federation (FFF) too, but it is not among the signatories.
Contacted by Releasethe “3F” estimates that“such a public interpellation is not the right way to contribute to a positive evolution of the demands made”arguing that “several other federations” share his opinion and “do not wish to be associated with this new initiative”. The FFF says it is rather in favor of an exchange “with FIFA to work on a World Cup legacy.” She stays “vigilant on situations falling within its field of competence”she writes, noting also having obtained “only a report of the social conditions of the employees of its service providers” is provided to him every week henceforth.
“Concrete answers”
In their joint statement, the mutineer countries first welcomed assurances from the Qatari government and FIFA regarding the safety of supporters at the World Cup, including LGBTQ+ supporters. The group also recognized that “significant progress” had been achieved with regard to the rights of migrant workers, “that every country has problems and challenges and we agree with FIFA that diversity is a strength”said these countries.
Despite everything, they made a point of recalling their continued commitment to migrant workers before the tournament. And intend to continue “to sustain the momentum for positive and progressive change and to advocate for a successful outcome and an update on the two key outstanding issues that we have been discussing with Fifa for a long time”. They ask for “concrete answers” concerning two “key issues” : the compensation fund for migrant workers that Qatar refuses to create and the concept of a center for migrant workers in Doha.
“Fifa has made a number of commitments to provide concrete answers to these questions. […] and we will continue to push for these answers to be provided, we read in the press release. We believe in the power of football to make new positive and credible contributions to progressive and lasting change in the world. […] Embracing diversity and tolerance also means supporting human rights. Human rights are universal and apply everywhere,” remind the signatories.
Fifa does not want to “give moral lessons to the rest of the world”
Last week, Gianni Infantino and Fatma Samoura, respectively president and secretary general of the body, in a letter from Fifa, had written to the 32 countries, with a view to guarding against any claims or actions that would not fall under the football during the World Cup. Unusual in its tone, this letter alluded, without naming them, to the positions taken by several selections on respect for the rights of workers and LGBT + people by the small emirate, also criticized for the environmental cost of the tournament. “We know that football does not exist in a vacuum, and we are equally aware of the many challenges and difficulties of a political nature in the world, conceded the two leaders. But please don’t let football be dragged into every ideological or political battle.”
Concretely, Fifa does not say whether it approves or disapproves of the wearing announced by several captains of European selections – including England, France and Germany – of armbands in the colors of the rainbow, with the “One Love” message, in a country that criminalizes same-sex relationships. She also did not respond to the video released two weeks ago by sixteen members of the Australian team, who criticized the lack of respect for human rights and explained that they had “listened to organizations”such as Amnesty International and, “more importantly, foreign workers in Qatar”. But, in very general terms, Gianni Infantino and Fatma Samoura say “try to respect all opinions and beliefs, without giving moral lessons to the rest of the world”calling for respect for the “diversity”.
“No people, culture or nation is ‘better’ than another. This principle is the cornerstone of mutual respect and non-discrimination. And it is also one of the fundamental values of football., they hammered. Amnesty International, via its head of economic and social justice Steve Cockburn, had for its part estimated that “If Gianni Infantino wants the world to ‘focus on football’, there is a simple solution: for Fifa to start tackling serious human rights issues instead of sweeping them under the rug”.
Update at 3:30 p.m. with the reaction of the FFF
