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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Mike Hytner

World Cup organisers in Qatar respond to Australian players’ criticism, saying ‘no country is perfect’

Qatar Socceroos World Cup Australia Human Rights
Screenshot from video of Australian Socceroos raising Qatar human rights concerns.
Screenshot from video of Australian Socceroos players raising Qatar human rights concerns. Organisers of the 2022 Fifa World Cup have now responded. Composite: Socceroos

Qatari organisers of the 2022 World Cup have responded to the Socceroos’ criticism of the country’s human rights record, praising the group of players for raising awareness of issues ahead of the tournament while admitting that “no country is perfect”.

Sixteen Australian players raised their concerns about the “suffering” of migrant workers and the inability of LGBTQ+ people in Qatar “to love the person that they choose” in a collective video released on Thursday.

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