Qatar World Cup: FIFA celebrates human rights "milestones" at 72nd Congress as Norway FA President condemns hosting decision & raises concerns for migrant workers, women & LGBT rights
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The 72nd FIFA Congress took place on 31st March 2022 in Doha, ahead of the World Cup Qatar 2022 to be hosted later in the year. Questions and concerns regarding ongoing rights abuses against migrant workers in Qatar overshadowed the agenda, as Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness delivered a speech criticising what she called the "unacceptable" consequences of awarding the tournament to Qatar. Citing concerns raised by the association's members, Klaveness also highlighted issues including women's rights and LGBT+ rights.
FIFA released a short film at the event to mark three "milestones" in the sporting body's human rights progress. These included the FIFA Advisory Board, established in 2017 and disbanded in 2021, the integration of human rights standards into bidding requirements for tournament hosts, and the recently enacted reforms passed by Qatar which aim to abolish the exploitative kafala system and worst forms of labour abuse experienced by migrant workers in the World Cup host country.
There is no room for employers who do not secure the freedom and safety of world cup workers. No room for leaders that cannot host the women´s game. No room for hosts that cannot legally guarantee the safety and respect of LGBTQ+ people coming to this theatre of dreams.Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness
I urge everybody - we have always been open for dialogue, we have always welcomed constructive criticism, constructive criticism that is based on discussion, understanding the issues, and understanding the context of the issues and understanding the progress and the facts that are on the ground. We have always had the doors open, we will always continue having our doors open, for anybody who wants to understand the issues, who wants to educate themselves before passing any judgement.Hassan Al-Thawadi, secretary general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy
Following Klaveness' speech, Human Rights Watch called for other football associations and players to leverage their platforms and similarly spotlight human rights abuses.