Saturday, 23 November 2013
I WAS PRESSURISED TO GIVE THE WORLD CUP 2022 HOST TO QATAR. -SEPP BLATTER.
France and
Germany should be held to account over the treatment of migrant workers in
Qatar because they exerted political pressure to award the 2022 World Cup to
the tiny Gulf state, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Friday.
Blatter said
financial interests made Europe’s two largest economies to lobby for a Qatar
tournament and that construction companies were ultimately responsible for the
treatment of their workers, reports Reuters.
FIFA has
faced a series of controversies since it awarded the World Cup to Qatar in 2022,
with the latest fuelled by reports of constant exploitation of migrant workers
in the country’s construction sector.
Speaking
at a Rome press conference, Blatter said the vote to award the tournament to
Qatar was influenced by “political pressure from European countries…because
there were so many economic interests.”
“Two of
these countries pressured the voting men in FIFA: France and Germany…I think
the heads of state of these two countries should also express what they think
of this situation,” Blatter said.
The
European Parliament urged FIFA to pressure Qatar to address labour conditions
in stadiums and infrastructure under construction for the event on Thursday.
“It’s easy
to say all the responsibilities lie on FIFA. No, no, we are part of this
responsibility,” Blatter said.
The French
and German governments did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Blatter’s
comments come after scathing reports by Amnesty International and Britain’s
Guardian newspaper, which said migrant workers suffer constant abuse, live in
squalid accommodation and are sometimes denied their wages or from returning
home.
The
International Trade Union Confederation said 4,000 workers’ lives would be at
risk before the tournament started.
But
Blatter indicated it was unreasonable for European politicians to express
concern about labour abuses, saying “most” large companies working in Qatar
were European.
Construction
contracts in the run up to the World Cup have predominantly been awarded to
large multinational western firms. The Amnesty International report found the
majority of abuses involved workers employed by small subcontractors.
“There are
companies from Europe, Qatar and many other countries involved in large
construction projects in Qatar. All companies must ensure the rights of workers
are respected in their contractual chains,” Sherif Elsayed Ali, Head of Refugee
and Migrants’ rights in Amnesty International said.
“FIFA must
not downplay its own role and responsibilities.”
Blatter
said Qatar had written a 10-point plan to address labour rights, and that FIFA
would decide its course of action after consultations early next year.
The world
soccer body is currently examining whether the tournament should be held in the
winter rather than its traditional June-July slot, to avoid summer temperatures
that reach 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit).
Qatari
officials have dismissed accusations reports that some of the 22-member
committee were bribed to sway the vote. Blatter has said in the past the
decision may have been a mistake.
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