Football Players Protest Against Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

According to recent reports, footballers in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers are staging on-field protests against Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers. The country has been embroiled in controversy after its human rights record has been put under the spotlight. 

Qatar will be hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This is the first west Asian nation to do so. It will begin from 21 November 2022 to 18 December 2022. Thirty-two teams will participate, which consists of five or six confederations. It will also be hosted in eight stadiums across five different host cities. Moreover, with such a huge event coming up, the online betting market is busier than ever. 

Violation of Human Rights Against Migrant Workers

A published media report alleged that at least 6,500 migrant workers from different parts of the world such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal had died in Qatar since 2010. This has happened since the country was awarded the hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Aside from that, protests have erupted against the harsh working conditions faced by migrant workers, especially during summer. There are also talks of wage abuse and lack of rights afforded to migrant workers, who comprise 95% of the country’s population. 

Last year in August, Qatar announced huge changes to the labour law, which included removing the need for a NOC. Workers were required to get NOC. This pertains to the employer’s permission to change jobs. According to Qatar authorities, this is just one of the reforms they have in place in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup.

In addition to that, in response to the report about the number of deaths of migrant workers, Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup organising committee states that it has “always been transparent about the health and safety of workers.”

Football Teams Are Making Their Stand in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

A lot of football nationals teams are protesting against the inhumane treatments of migrant workers. That’s why they have made their voices heard during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. For instance, the Netherlands national team wore t-shirts with the words “Football supports change” emblazoned on them. The Norway team also wore t-shirts with the words “HUMAN RIGHTS” and “On and off the pitch” printed on them. Furthermore, Amnesty International sent a letter to Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, calling on the governing body to use its authority and help stop the abuse of migrant workers. 

Despite protests clouding over the tournament, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is still one of the world’s most anticipated sports events. Many Asian sports bookmakers will surely be giving some of the best offers for football punters. Come check out our partner VOdds for your football betting. They offer in-play football betting, accumulator bets and more. So, register with them now!