“Participating does not mean turning a blind eye and condoning.
Criticized by NGOs, disappointed with the supposed wait-and-see attitude of the FFF on the issue of migrant workers in Qatar, the governing body of French football defended itself through a press release published on Saturday.
"Free to express themselves or not", the FFF and the French team "did not wait for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar to defend on a daily basis, on the ground, and at their level, the human rights, as well as other essential causes,” the organization continued.
On Friday, Amnesty International pointed out in an open letter the "deafening silence" of the Habs "in the face of the thousands of migrant workers who died on Qatari construction sites, and the thousands of others subjected to forced labor".
France faces Denmark on Sunday in Copenhagen and the NGO highlighted the initiative of the Danish selection whose sponsors have "decided to remove their logos from the players' training shirts to replace them with a message in favor of respect for rights human beings in Qatar”.
"However, the organization of this World Cup has enabled social progress in Qatar"
The FFF describes Amnesty as an “admirable organization” but “deplores this stigmatization campaign nonetheless”.
According to her, the body headed by Noël Le Graët has "implemented various verification measures concerning the respect of social rights and the application of respectful working conditions at the base camp of the France team" in Qatar.
“However, the organization of this World Cup has enabled social progress in Qatar that even some NGOs recognize, including Amnesty International.
Even if the reality on the ground is not perfect, this progress is undeniable and positive,” says the Federation.
In 2021, a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) concluded that all of the occupational accidents that occurred during the year 2020 in Qatar killed 50 workers and seriously injured 500 others.
The ILO, however, notes shortcomings in the system of investigation and registration of deaths, admitting that their number could be higher.
