Qatar World Cup: Amnesty urge FA to push for lasting changes to protect workers

Amnesty have urged the FA to do more to apply pressure on Qatari authorities and FIFA

Amnesty International have responded to England's qualification for the 2022 World Cup by urging the Football Association to apply pressure on Qatar's authorities to bring about lasting reform to protect the country's migrant workers. Qatar's human rights record has been under intense scrutiny in recent months, with reports highlighting how thousands of migrant workers have died in the country since it was awarded the tournament over a decade ago. Some national teams - including Norway, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands - have held t-shirt protests before qualifying games in response to the alarming death figures. Speaking after England confirmed their place at next year's tournament with an emphatic victory over San Marino on Monday, Gareth Southgate insisted his squad will 'educate' themselves about the situation in Qatar. This followed reports that England players were planning a meeting to discuss appropriate action to express concerns they have about the country's human rights record. Amnesty have repeatedly called on the FA to use its position to push for change in Qatar, and have reiterated this in light of England's qualification.

"We’ve said many times that there’s a vital role for the FA in pushing for lasting improvements for Qatar’s millions of migrant workers," Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s CEO, told JOE.

"After years of international pressure since Qatar won the rights to host the World Cup, labour reforms have been introduced - but with only a year to kick-off they remain only patchily implemented, leaving many workers at continued risk of abuse and exploitation.

"As part of the UEFA Working Group on Workers’ Rights in Qatar, the FA must do more to press FIFA and the Qatari authorities over urgently strengthening migrant worker protections, investigating worker deaths and helping to fashion a tournament with a genuinely positive legacy."

The FA confirmed to JOE this week that a memorandum of understanding it signed with Qatar's Football Association in 2018 is still in place. A spokesperson from the FA added that they remain in regular dialogue with Amnesty, FIFA and other member associations ahead of the tournament. "We are working closely with all to ensure that we approach our participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in a socially responsible manner," the spokesperson said. "From those discussions to date, we believe that there is evidence of substantial progress being made by Qatar in relation to workers’ rights, however we recognise there is still more to be done. "Our view remains that change is best achieved by working collaboratively with others so that we can continue to ask the right questions, while always being mindful that we have our own challenges in this country." Related links:

• Southgate says England squad will ‘educate’ themselves about Qatar human rights issues
• Denmark to replace kit sponsors with ‘critical messages’ for Qatar World Cup
• Thomas Hitzlsperger does not believe Qatar will change views once World Cup concludes