Gareth Southgate is facing criticism from human rights groups after claiming that workers in Qatar were “united” in wanting the World Cup to take place, despite the country’s poor employment rights record.
The England manager’s remarks were questioned by Human Rights Watch, which said families of migrant workers who had died, been injured, or cheated of their wages had told it they “would like to support the World Cup but cannot because their children are starving and their breadwinners died in Qatar”.
Amnesty International warned that although many migrant workers in Qatar were football fans, the majority were more interested in having their rights fully protected and being paid properly than in the World Cup.
Southgate made his remarks in an interview with CNN, in which he acknowledged there were ongoing issues with Qatar but said there was no question the World Cup should go ahead.
“I’ve been out to Qatar several times and I’ve met lots of the workers out there and they are united in certainly one thing, that’s that they want the tournament to happen, and they want that because they love football,” he said. “They want the football to come to Qatar.”
However Minky Worden, the director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, suggested such a viewpoint was misplaced.
“First, migrant workers in Qatar cannot speak freely because of security concerns, and the FA should know this,” she told the Guardian.
“Second, has Gareth Southgate and the FA attempted to contact migrant workers and families of those who died from Nepal, India, Kenya or elsewhere? Any family who received a loved one and breadwinner home in a coffin without compensation from Fifa and Qatar cannot cheer the opening of this World Cup.
“Southgate does not face any risks speaking to migrant workers, but migrant workers do face risks in speaking to him, including the loss of their jobs and deportation if they say something Qatari officials think is wrong.
There are many migrant workers who are proud of the work they have done to build the World Cup in Qatar. But there are also many who have suffered preventable deaths and harms and until the deaths, loans, injuries and wage theft are compensated, it is not correct to say all migrant workers are ‘united’.”
The issue of human rights in Qatar remains a concern, despite Fifa and the Qatari organisers claiming that significant reforms have taken place. Last year the Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers had died since Qatar was awarded the World Cup 10 years ago. A more recent investigation found that workers employed on World Cup-related projects are having to work 12-hour shifts across 30 days a month to earn the equivalent of about £1 an hour.
In his interview Southgate stressed that the Football Association had been working with human rights groups to help them to seek redress before the tournament kicks off on 20 November. “We’re trying to support those ideas with compensation for families who have lost workers and a worker’s rights centre,” he said. “So we’re supporting the things we’ve been asked to support.”
However Ella Knight, Amnesty International’s migrants’ labour rights researcher, said far more needed to be done by Fifa and football as a whole.
“Many workers in Qatar will of course be football fans, but what migrant workers have really stressed to us is the need to have their rights fully protected, to be paid properly, able to change jobs freely and to enjoy safe and dignified working conditions – before, during and after this tournament,” she said.
“The World Cup is about to take place with vital labour reforms still very much unfinished business, and thousands of workers’ abuses remaining unaddressed.
“The opening game is now less than three weeks away and Fifa is yet to commit to remedying workers and their families for the abuses they’ve suffered despite widespread support from the public, FAs, players and World Cup sponsors. We urge the FA to maintain its pressure on Fifa, pushing it to recognise and urgently address the suffering of workers without whom the World Cup simply wouldn’t be possible.”
The Qatari Supreme Committee, which is responsible for organising the tournament, has insisted there have been improvements. In a statement last month it said: “The advancements in workers’ welfare is a legacy we are very proud of, and one that we are already seeing in action. We have always believed that the World Cup will be a catalyst to accelerate positive initiatives, leaving a legacy of meaningful and sustainable progress for the country and region.”
