The Mayor of Derry has contacted FIFA to express his concern at the treatment of workers in Qatar involved in construction projects ahead of the country hosting the 2022 World Cup.
Cllr Martin Reilly revealed he had contacted football’s world governing body asking for “immediate action” on human rights issues after studying a 166-page report published Amnesty International on Sunday,
The report, entitled “The Dark Side of Migration: Spotlight on Qatar’s Construction Sector Ahead of the World Cup,” claims Nepalese workers involved in the construction of football grounds in the country are “treated like cattle.”
The document details how workers arriving in Qatar to work on construction projects related to the tournament in nine years’ time are subjected to “non-payment of wages, harsh and dangerous working conditions, and shocking standards of accommodation.”
Cllr Reilly said it felt it was his “civic duty” to highlight the issues raised in the report in relation to the “exploitation and unsafe” working conditions.
Cllr Reilly added: “Although neither Northern Ireland nor Republic of Ireland teams have qualified for the next 2014 World Cup, the citizens of this island are nonetheless eagerly awaiting the tournament and will no doubt travel in large numbers to Brazil to attend matches, interest which will be replicated in the World Cup in Russia and continue in Qatar.
“I recently had the pleasure of welcoming many young footballers to Derry as part of the IFA ‘Search for a Star’ event and it is with this in mind that I urge FIFA to assert their responsibility to the Qatari Government in addressing issues such as unacceptable working conditions and exploitation of migrant workers which are raised in the report.”
Cllr Reilly concluded: “It is essential councils and governments now put pressure in order to positively change these circumstances prior to 2022, both to set a good example for young people entering this sport as well as to the spectators of one of the World’s biggest sporting events. I await the response from FIFA.”
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