On the eve of the 2022 World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino held nothing back when denouncing the criticisms towards Qatar in a press conference on Saturday.
The decision for the host nation to hold the tournament has been questioned since it was awarded the World Cup in 2010 due to Qatar’s human rights issues. Topics such as the deaths of migrant workers and the treatment of LGBTQ2S+ people have been in focus.
Since Infantino made his comments Saturday, human rights organizations have swiftly condemned his behaviour and emphasized that the human rights of migrant workers are not up for debate. Organizations are also calling on the FIFA head to establish a compensation fund and create channels for workers to safely raise complaints.
In his speech, Infantino labelled the concerns as hypocrisy due to Europe’s history and emphasized conversations should revolve around sport and not human rights issues.
“Today I have strong feelings. Today I feel Qatari, I feel Arab, I feel African, I feel gay, I feel disabled, I feel a migrant worker,” the 52-year-old from Switzerland began.
"We have been taught many lessons from Europeans and the Western world. I am European. For what we have been doing for 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before giving moral lessons,” he said. "If Europe really care about the destiny of these people, they can create legal channels - like Qatar did - where a number of these workers can come to Europe to work. Give them some future, some hope.”
Infantino also went on to say that he has “difficulties understanding the criticism” around the treatment and deaths of migrant workers. “We have to invest in helping these people, in education and to give them a better future and more hope. We should all educate ourselves. Many things are not perfect but reform and change takes time,” he said.
"This one-sided moral lesson is just hypocrisy. I wonder why no-one recognises the progress made here since 2016,” he continued. "It is not easy to take the critics of a decision that was made 12 years ago. Qatar is ready. It will be the best World Cup ever.”
The FIFA president also said that while he is not “Qatari, Arab, African, gay, disabled or a migrant worker,” he feels “like them because I know what it means to be discriminated and bullied as a foreigner in a foreign country.” He also said he was bullied as a child for his “red hair and freckles.”
The statement has since rattled the sports world, with multiple human rights organizations expressing distaste for Infantino’s comments.
“In brushing aside legitimate human rights criticisms, Gianni Infantino is dismissing the enormous price paid by migrant workers to make his flagship tournament possible – as well as FIFA’s responsibility for it,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s head of economic and social justice.
“Demands for equality, dignity and compensation cannot be treated as some sort of culture war – they are universal human rights that FIFA has committed to respect in its own statutes.”
“If there is one tiny glimmer of hope, it is that Infantino announced that FIFA would establish a legacy fund after the World Cup. This cannot be mere window dressing, however,” said Cockburn. “If FIFA is to salvage anything from this tournament, it must announce that it will invest a significant part of the US $6 billion the organization will make from this tournament and make sure this fund is used to compensate workers and their families directly.”
Mustafa Qadri, chief executive of international human rights organization Equidem, was another to release a statement denouncing Infantino.
“History will not judge this moment kindly. Infantino’s speech was an insult to the thousands of hard-working women and men who have made the World Cup possible,” read the statement.
“He had a perfect opportunity to acknowledge that thousands of women and men from the poorest countries came to the richest only to face deception, exploitation and discrimination,” said Qadri.
The executive explained that “every day workers are contacting Equidem about unpaid wages, abuse and being terrified about speaking out for fear of retaliation from employers.” The current solution is that Infantino should establish a “comprehensive compensation fund and demand Qatar establish an independent migrant workers’ centre so workers have a safe space to raise complaints and get the support they need.”
When asked about a compensation plan for migrant workers during Saturday`s press conference, Infantino said “FIFA can’t dictate to a sovereign country what to do and who to pay,” as reported by CTV National News Correspondent Heather Wright.
Amnesty International have called on FIFA to implement a compensation fund for migrant workers and their families that matches the total prize money paid to the 32 teams in Qatar (US $440 million). According to a report from the Guardian, over 6,500 workers died during construction over the past decade to prepare for the tournament.
In addition to addressing the topic at the press conference, FIFA released a statement on Saturday confirming Infantino met with Qatar Minister of Labour H.E. Ali bin Samikh Al Marri to discuss the “existing legal framework which includes a workers’ support and insurance fund.” This has been in place since 2018.
“FIFA welcomes the assurances provided by the Qatari authorities in relation to the treatment of labour issues currently in place in the State of Qatar,” said Infantino.
“I appreciate the guarantees provided by the Minister that this compensation mechanism is also in place for the future with the same funds allowing workers the opportunity to file cases covered by the framework of the law,” he said.
According to FIFA’s statement, the current fund has paid over US $350 million in compensation to workers “mainly dealing with late and non-payment of wages.” There is no mention of injury or death.
As the tournament creeps closer, calls for a better compensation plan continue.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will kickoff on Sunday as host Qatar face Ecuador in the tournament opener at 11 a.m. EST/8 a.m. PST. Pre-match coverage begins on CTV and TSN at 10:45 a.m. EST/7:45 a.m. PST.
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