Qatar, FIFA lambasted from inside on eve of World Cup draw

World Cup host Qatar and FIFA received scathing criticism from within soccer on Thursday, a day before the tournament’s draw.

On their own territory. In their own house. By a member of soccer’s extended family.

The president of Norwegian soccer — one of the few women ever to lead a FIFA member federation — stepped up on the stage at the governing body’s congress in Doha to air her concerns at the same venue that will host today’s draw.

Lise Klaveness, a judge and former national team player, spoke about Qatar’s record of protecting the rights of migrant workers — who have built tens of billions of dollars of projects needed for the World Cup — and its criminalization of homosexuality.

It was a rare show of dissent and tension in the typically tightly scripted annual meeting of soccer’s 211 member countries.

Klaveness targeted issues that have dogged Qatar and FIFA’S controversial choice of the Middle Eastern country for more than a decade only three weeks after she was elected in Norway with a mandate to pressure the World Cup organizers.

“In 2010, the World Cup was awarded by FIFA in unacceptable ways with unacceptable consequences,” Klaveness, who is gay, said. “There is no room for employers who do not secure the freedom and safety of World Cup workers. No room for hosts that cannot legally guarantee the safety and respect of LGBTQ+ people coming to this theater of dreams.”

FIFA had worked this week in Doha to keep the Norwegian’s speech off the main Congress agenda, and then gave the floor to rebuttals from a Latin American soccer official and the head of Qatar’s organizing committee.

“This is not the right forum and not the right moment,” Honduras soccer federation general secretary Jose Ernesto Mejia said in translated comments.

Still, there was some applause for Klaveness before she walked the length of the arena floor past the mostly-male delegates to return to the Norwegian delegation seats.

Klaveness was then chided by Hassan Al-thawadi, who fronted Qatar’s bid more than 12 years ago and has led the organizing committee ever since.

“You did not attempt to contact us and did not attempt to engage in dialogue before addressing congress today,” he said, adding that Qatar’s door was open for people to “educate themselves before passing any judgment.”

Qatar and FIFA have consistently said taking the World Cup to the country, and to the Middle East for the first time, accelerated positive changes in the nation’s laws and society.

Al-thawadi said the monthlong tournament could be an antidote to “stereotypes and assumptions” about the region.”

Human rights and labor activists have also long been concerned that deaths on all Qatari construction projects, not just soccer stadiums, have not been accurately calculated nor investigated.

“The migrant workers injured or families of those who died in the buildup to the World Cup must be cared for,” Klaveness said. “FIFA must act as a role model.”

• The United States received a boost for the World Cup draw and Canada took a hit in the updated FIFA rankings.

The Americans, who failed to qualify for the last World Cup, will be in Pot 2 after being ranked 15th in the world.

Canada, which won the North American qualifying group and will play at the tournament for the first time in 36 years, missed a chance for a rankings boost by losing at Panama 1-0 in its final qualifier.

Instead, Canada will be among the lowest seeded teams in Pot 4.

The eight groups for the tournament in Qatar will be drawn today from four pots.

Qatar gets the top-seeded slot given to the World Cup host nation despite being ranked No. 51.

The other top-seeded teams are Brazil, Belgium, defending champion France, Argentina, England, Spain and Portugal.

Brazil took over as the No. 1 team from Belgium, the first change as the top in three years.

GOLF Knox leads at Texas Open

Russell Knox recorded four straight birdies on the back nine and fired a 7-under 65 for a oneshot lead after the opening round of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio.

Knox was one shot ahead of Rasmus Hojgaard.

TENNIS Osaka, Swiatek make final

The unseeded and former No. 1 Naomi Osaka defeated No. 22 Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Miami Open semifinals. She’s in a championship match for the first time since the 2021 Australian Open, and will meet No. 2 Iga Swiatek on Saturday. Swiatek defeated No. 16 Pegula 6-2, 7-5.

Osaka entered this tournament ranked No. 77 in the world, will leave Miami no worse than 36th and would be back in the top 30 if she wins the title.

It has been a long, trying and often emotional ride for Osaka since her win in the 2018 U.S. Open final over Serena Williams. She was rattled during a loss at Indian Wells on March 12 following a derogatory shout from a spectator, withdrew from last year’s French Open to address her mental state and left last year’s U.S. Open in tears.

But in South Florida, one of the places she considers home, it’s been all support from the fans.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Osaka told them in her on-court interview.

Daniil Medvedev came into the tournament as the No. 2-ranked men’s player in the world. Hubert Hurkacz ensured he will stay there.

Hurkacz — the No. 8 seed and defending Miami champion — wore down the top-seeded and cramp-riddled Medvedev 7-6 (7), 6-3 in a men’s quarterfinal.

Had Medvedev prevailed, he would have overtaken Novak Djokovic on Monday and returned to No. 1 in the world rankings. Instead, the Russian will stay No.2 in the world and find out who wins the Miami title on Sunday like everyone else.

Hurkacz, from Poland, will next meet No. 14 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the semifinals. Alcaraz defeated unseeded Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (5) in the last men’s quarterfinal.