Football World Cup in Qatar – criticism from the Miesbach amnesty group

Created: 2022-11-19 06:03

By: Fridolin Thanner

The soccer World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Sunday.

© Jens Büttner/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB/Symbolbild

District – There is a lot of criticism about the soccer World Cup in Qatar, which starts on Sunday – including from the Miesbacher group of Amnesty International.

Qatar vs. Ecuador – this match opens the FIFA World Cup on Sunday (November 20).

If there is usually great enthusiasm and euphoria, this time, shortly before the World Cup, the mood is heated up in a completely different way.

The criticism of awarding the World Cup to Qatar is great, with numerous fan associations positioning themselves under the hashtag boycottqatar2022.

On the last match day of the German professional leagues this year, many corresponding banners could be seen in the stadiums.

The fans of TSV 1860 Munich drew attention with an impressive comparison.

"Every seat in our stadium stands for a dead man" read the 15,000-seat Grünwalder stadium.

That's how many migrant workers have died building stadiums in Qatar in the past decade, according to one estimate.

Now it is certainly a difficult decision for many football fans whether to boycott the World Cup or turn on the television.

"In the beginning, refusing or reducing television consumption is quite appropriate, but one would have to pass one's refusal upwards, in the direction of the DFB and FIFA," says Fritz Weigl, spokesman for the AI ​​group Miesbach.

Here, however, he sees a lack of willingness.

"At the last AI-Miesbach information stand, however, only twelve people signed a petition to the DFB," he regrets.

The human rights organization has titled its campaign for the World Cup in Qatar with "Football Yes - Exploitation/Exclusion No", and such a contrast also characterizes the assessments of a president and an ex-professional.

It will be the "best World Cup of all time" announced FIFA President Gianni Infantino, while Thomas Hitzlsberger, who came third in the 2006 World Cup with the German national team, ended his TV program "Qatar - Why only?" with the demand that "no more World Cups in countries to forgive where human rights are not respected”.

Relatives of the dead are waiting for compensation

Deaths, forced labour, wage theft.

"And the relatives of the dead in Nepal are still waiting for compensation and outstanding wages to be paid not only by the employer in Qatar, but also by FIFA, which is said to have received between 400 and 880 million US dollars in the application," explains AI - District group spokesman Weigl.

"Reforms came only hesitantly and largely only after international pressure." Weigl therefore believes that "one should keep up the pressure on Qatar to improve the working conditions for its guest workers".

Qatar's World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman recently caused a scandal.

He described homosexuality as "mental harm".

It remains to be seen how enthusiastic football fans will be.

Many fans have at least announced that they will not watch any games.

The #boycottqatar2022 campaign also calls for people not to buy any products with the World Cup logo or any products from companies that are actively promoting the World Cup and thus sponsoring the tournament.

Whether through a boycott, statements by the athletes or the attention from the tournament, which some supporters are counting on - it is to be hoped that the human rights situation in Qatar will improve.

And so Weigl, with a view to "Football Yes", finds the first part of the AI ​​campaign motto: "If the German team gets to the final, you can break every boycott promise."