2022 World Cup: FIFA holds meeting with Qatar over human rights concerns

FIFA President Gianni Infantino help a virtual meeting with the tournament's organising body and political representatives across Europe to discuss concerns over human rights in Qatar.

FIFA's virtual meeting with polictical stakeholders and experts. (Source: Twitter)

FIFA held a virtual meeting on Tuesday (December 14) with political institutions as well as rights organisations to discuss human rights in Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, global soccer's governing body said in a statement.

The meeting included FIFA President Gianni Infantino and head of the tournament's organising body Hassan Al Thawadi as well as members of the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and political representatives from parliaments across Europe. There were also representatives from the EU Commission, the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the United Nations and UNESCO among others.

FIFA said the dialogue gave an opportunity for stakeholders to raise questions and concerns on a number of key topics, including workers welfare and LGBTQIA rights. "From day one, we have been committed to ensuring a legacy is delivered before the tournament and that this legacy lasts beyond the tournament too, specifically on labour reform but on other topics as well.", Al Thawadi said.

President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, and his wife, visited Lusail Stadium, one of the stadiums of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, on the sidelines of his official visit to the country. #QNAhttps://t.co/FyFlh60FNk pic.twitter.com/9aMSuC0tTC — Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) December 12, 2021

The government of Qatar has said in the past its labour system is still a work in progress but has denied accusations in a report by Amnesty International that thousands of migrant workers were being exploited. A 48-page report by Amnesty, Reality Check 2021, said that practices such as withholding salaries and charging workers to change jobs were still rife.

Human Rights Watch has said that Qatari laws continue to discriminate against women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. "Our main question here in Qatar remains on LGBTQIA rights and specifically on the law that criminalises homosexuality," said Piara Powar, Executive Director of the Fare network, an organisation set up to counter discrimination in European football.

"We know that many LGBTQIA people are fearful of coming, of what awaits. Respect for local culture should not preclude reaching out to ensure the safety of LGBTQIA communities."