The FIFA World Cup in Qatar starts in 13 days. Qatar has been criticized for human rights abuses since the Games were awarded to the Arabian Peninsula in 2010.
Criticism towards Qatar and Fifa, which organizes the games, has intensified as the games approach.
On Sunday, ten European football associations published a petition demanding that FIFA to fulfill their promises (you switch to another service) To improve the conditions of migrant workers in Qatar. The petition demanded the establishment of a compensation fund for migrant workers and their families, as well as a center for migrant workers to be established in the capital, Doha.
Among the signatory countries were Denmark, Norway and Sweden, but not Finland.
President of the Football Association Ari Lahti tells Urheilu that Finland also supports the issues discussed in the letter. The reason why Finland is not among the signatories is simple.
– Earlier this year, we agreed that the ball from the Nordic countries will be transferred to UEFA’s working group dealing with Qatar. Finland does not have a member in that working group, and we were not asked to sign the document in question, Lahti opens.
– We stand behind these issues and support the demand. Uefa has many different working groups and we felt that the representation of the Nordic countries is sufficient through these countries.
Later in the afternoon Balloliitto sent an announcement, (you will switch to another service) according to which the Finnish Football Federation is also involved in the joint front of the UEFA working group and the Nordic football associations to promote the human rights situation in Qatar. According to the release, Finland would have liked to be among the signatory countries, but “the information in the direction of other European football associations did not go as expected in this case”.
Finland does not support a boycott
Some countries have decided not to send representatives to the World Cup. For example, the Norwegian Football Association announced, (you will switch to another service) that no one from the federation will travel to Qatar for the games.
The Finnish Football Federation has not made a similar decision, and for example the chairman Ari Lahti is leaving for the World Cup.
– A big meeting will be held in Qatar the day before the opening match. They are places where, for our part, we are able to influence things and we feel that it is important to be actively involved in that conversation. By staying away and turning your back, I don’t think you can get very many things done.
Lahti reminds that the Finnish Football Federation has not wanted to boycott the World Cup.
– We specifically try to influence important issues through a constructive dialogue, just like the other Nordic countries.
The Nordic football associations have had a constructive dialogue since 2015.
What has it accomplished?
– A huge number of reforms have been made in Qatar regarding the rights and living conditions and working conditions of migrant workers. I believe that part of the reason why things have been taken seriously is in the forefront of the international football community, especially in Europe and the Nordic countries. We have visited the authorities as well as representatives of the international labor organization ILO, local workers and visited the conditions concretely. I believe that the work is important, that the Qatari authorities have tried to intervene in this matter, Lahti answers.
Amnesty’s Johansson believes that Infantino’s head will turn
Finnish executive director of the human rights organization Amnesty Frank Johansson says that Amnesty has been in dialogue with the Finnish Football Federation for a few years. He says that he considers the Finnish Football Association one of the most active football associations, but the activities of the international football association Fifa do not receive the same praise.
– All major sports competitions are associated with some form of human rights and environmental problems. The Qatar games are probably at the top, they involve the most problems.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Fatma Samoura when they approached countries that have recently participated in the World Cup by letter, (you will switch to another service) where they urged the teams to focus on playing in Qatar instead of politics.
– The statement is mostly sarcastic. If Fifa had done its job properly, i.e. ensured that the games were held without human rights violations, needless deaths and the suffering of thousands of people, the football teams could focus on playing.
In May, Amnesty launched a campaign with the aim of getting Fifa and the Qatari government to pay compensation to migrant workers whose rights have been violated. According to Johansson, there are many within the International Football Association who support the compensation fund, and many of the main sponsors are also in favor of improvements.
– Clearly, Infantino’s head has not yet been turned. However, we are confident that we can still do it.
In many discussions, including the petition of the Fifa working group, it was emphasized how things have progressed in Qatar and the conditions of migrant workers have improved: for example, the kafala system has been abandoned, the minimum wage has been decided, and a wage fund has been established for missing wage funds.
Amnesty’s Johansson reminds, however, that practically no one supervises the implementation.
– Paper has progressed more than in any country in the vicinity that has similar legislation. The problem is that practically nobody follows these laws. The authorities do not control them and individual companies and employers care little about them because they have no fear of sanctions. Progress has been made legislatively, but it only matters if it happens in practice. That hasn’t happened yet.