Qatar’s subtle Australia dig in response to criticism from the Socceroos
World Cup organisers have hit back at criticism from the Socceroos with a subtle dig at Australia’s own ‘challenges’ ahead of next month’s tournament.
Qatar’s World Cup organisers have hit back at criticism of the Gulf state’s rights record by Socceroos, insisting that “no country is perfect”.
Roughly 24 hours after Australia’s national men’s football team called for better treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQ community, a FIFA World Cup spokesman said imposing “robust” labour laws had also been a “challenge” for Australia.
“We have committed every effort to ensuring that this World Cup has had a transformative impact on improving lives,” the spokesman said.
“Protecting the health, safety, security, and dignity of every worker contributing to this World Cup is our priority.”
The Qatari committee highlighted reforms on construction site safety and labour conditions that have been carried out in the past five years amid reports at least 6,500 workers have died while building Qatar’s World Cup stadiums.
There are also deeply-held concerns about how gay fans will be treated during the tournament which starts on November 20 (AEDT).
“New laws and reforms often take time to bed in, and robust implementation of labour laws is a global challenge, including in Australia,” the spokesman said.
“No country is perfect, and every country -- hosts of major events or not -- has its challenges.”
The Qatari committee did not mention LGBTQ rights, but the spokesman said: “This World Cup has contributed to a legacy of progress, better practice, and improving lives -- and it’s a legacy that will live long after the final ball is kicked.”
While the spokesman didn’t specify the “challenges” Australia faced, the island nation has faced global criticism in recent times for its its treatment of Indigenous Australians and refugees.
The comments come after sixteen members of the Socceroos appeared in a short video on Thursday explaining their position ahead of their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The video, released on behalf of the entire Socceroos squad, shows the players reading lines from a collective statement calling for “effective remedy” to Qatar’s human rights abuses.
“Addressing these issues is not easy. And we do not have all the answers,” the Australian players said.
A message from our @Socceroos on the @FIFAWorldCup#SupportingThePlayerspic.twitter.com/bUqW2pne1w
— Professional Footballers Australia (@thepfa) October 26, 2022
“We stand with FIFPro, the Building and Wood Workers International, and the International Trade Union Confederation, seeking to embed reforms and establish a lasting legacy in Qatar.
“This must include establishing a migrant resource centre, effective remedy for those who have been denied their rights, and the decriminalisation of all same-sex relationships.
“These are the basic rights that should be afforded to all and will ensure continued progress in Qatar … [and] a legacy that goes well beyond the final whistle of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
The Socceroos acknowledged that in the decade since winning hosting rights, the extremely conservative nation has implemented a number of reforms to improve conditions for migrant workers.
Nevertheless, the Australians said Qatar hosting the World Cup has “resulted in the suffering and the harm of countless of our fellow workers.”
The 16 Australian players involved in the video are: captain Mat Ryan, Bailey Wright, Jamie Maclaren, Nick D’Agostino, Jackson Irvine, Craig Goodwin, Danny Vukovic, Andrew Redmayne, Mathew Leckie, Mitchell Duke, Mitch Langerak, Denis Genreau, Cameron Devlin, Adam Taggart, Kye Rowles and Alex Wilkinson.
Football Australia subsequently released a separate statement which declares: “The tournament has been associated with suffering for some migrant workers and their families and this cannot be ignored.”
Denmark’s football team has also taken a stand against Qatar by fading all the details on their kit.
“We’ve toned down all the details – including our own Hummel logo and chevrons – because even though we love football and the feeling of togetherness it gives us, we don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives,” kit sponsors Hummel said. They also released a black alternative kit as it is the “colour of mourning”.
The captains of nine European teams - including England - will wear an anti-discrimination OneLove armband, even if it is banned by FIFA.
Qatar was controversially awarded the rights to host the biggest sporting event on the planet in 2010 despite a lack of facilities and the prospect of playing the tournament in hot desert conditions.
Qatar has since completed a A$470bn construction extravaganza — at the cost of an estimated 6500 construction workers’ lives.
The Guardian reports workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have continued to die in recent years during the construction works, despite widespread outcry.
Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called for new laws to protect construction staff from working in life-threatening conditions, with more than 800,000 migrant workers being subjected to working in the scorching conditions.
The devastating death toll is completely off the scale, according to the International Trades Union Confederation (ITUC).
To put the tragedy into perspective, the ITUC has previously revealed the amount of workers killed in the lead up to other major sporting events around the world.
The next highest number of deaths were from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics with 60 people killed and the 2004 Athens Olympics with 40 killed.
Ten workers died before the 2010 Beijing Olympics and seven were killed while working in construction for the 2014 Brazil World Cup.
There were zero construction fatalities for the 2012 London Olympics and one death for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Meanwhile, Piers Morgan has slammed the Socceroos and undermined their video calling out World Cup hosts Qatar.
As the Socceroos’ video started to go viral, Morgan asked if the players really cared so much - why are they taking part in the World Cup at all?
“Fine virtue-signalling words… presume you will now be boycotting the tournament? Or don’t you guys care THAT much?” Piers said.
Fine virtue-signalling words… presume you will now be boycotting the tournament? Or don’t you guys care THAT much? https://t.co/TvBj6BK1Mo
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 27, 2022
With AFP
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