FIFA urged to publish Qatar compensation plans

Amnesty International has challenged FIFA to publish a review investigating its responsibilities towards migrant workers harmed while building stadia and infrastructure in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup.

The independent review, commissioned by FIFA following the tournament between November and December of 2022, had its findings approved by the FIFA Council in March.

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“It is past time for FIFA to publish the review, fully address abuses related to the last World Cup and finally deliver for the workers who made the tournament possible,” Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s head of Labour Rights and Sport, said.

Amnesty, the international human rights organisation, has previously accused the Qatari authorities of failing to investigate the deaths of workers throughout the country during the decade of construction leading up to the 2022 World Cup.

Extreme heat and unsafe working conditions have been cited by Amnesty as leading to the deaths of many migrant workers.

And with FIFA staging its annual Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, next week, Amnesty has called for football’s global governing body to publish the review into working conditions in Qatar.

“Ahead of its annual congress next week FIFA should make public the review it ordered into the organisation’s responsibilities to redress human rights abuses related to the 2022 World Cup and respond positively and rapidly to its recommendations,” Cockburn said.

“FIFA received this review months ago but has yet to disclose or act on its findings. This delay only prolongs the suffering of families who lost loved ones, and workers who were abused, while delivering FIFA’s flagship event.

“FIFA cannot erase this pain but it can set out a clear plan to deliver justice and commit some of its vast resources towards remedying the harms it has contributed to.

“The contents of the report may make uncomfortable reading for FIFA but there is overwhelming public support for it to act and no excuse for stalling any longer.

“A commitment to remedying the abuses related to the last World Cup would be a vital step towards FIFA finally fulfilling its human rights responsibilities and could be life-changing for workers and their families.

“FIFA cannot simply move on to other tournaments leaving suffering in its wake, not least when the opportunity to finally put things right is within its grasp.”