Rights group asks Fifa to help workers in Qatar

FIFA has been asked to contribute at least 440 million US dollars to help remedy migrant worker abuses in 2022 World Cup host nation Qatar.

Amnesty International, along with other human rights organisations and fans’ groups, have written to FIFA president Gianni Infantino this week insisting that sum be set aside as a minimum.

It equates to just under £355million and Amnesty says it is equal to the World Cup prize money fund. Amnesty has also asked England manager Gareth Southgate and national team players to support the call for a remediation programme for migrant workers to be established.

Amnesty said such a programme would compensate the families of migrants who have died working on infrastructure projects in Qatar since 2010 and those who have been injured, and reimburse those who have had pay withheld by unscrupulous employers or been forced to pay recruitment fees in order to secure work.

The programme, which Amnesty believes should also be funded by the Qatari government, should also work to ensure the prevention of future migrant worker abuse, the organisation said.

The letter to Infantino states: “When FIFA awarded the tournament to Qatar, it knew or should have known the risks this would pose to migrant workers’ rights given the country’s poor human rights record and the ban on trade unions.

“And yet it did so without placing on Qatar any conditions for the protection of labour rights. In awarding the 2022 World Cup without imposing any conditions to avoid foreseeable labour rights abuses...FIFA contributed to the widespread abuse of migrant workers on World Cup-related projects that followed.

“The kick-off of the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East should be a moment of joy and pride for football lovers across the globe. But until all workers are compensated and harms remediated, the tournament cannot be truly celebrated.”

Amnesty International’s UK chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said there was a role to play for the England team, Southgate and the Football Association in supporting calls for the establishment of a fund.

“Thousands of migrant workers have been exploited and many have tragically died to make this World Cup possible, so we hope the FA and Gareth Southgate and the players will back this innovative scheme to secure muchneeded compensation for longsuffering workers’ families,” he said.

“Nothing can bring dead workers back to life ... but a FIFA workers’ fund would still be an important move.”