The World Cup in Qatar in winter 2022 has been criticized for years. Gianni Infantino has to justify himself again and again. He did just that at a conference in the USA.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino has once again rejected the criticism of the conditions for migrant workers in the World Cup host country Qatar and caused a stir with statements about what he saw as positive aspects. “We must not forget one thing when we talk about this topic. My parents emigrated to Switzerland from Italy. When you give someone a job, even under difficult conditions, you give them dignity and pride,” said the head of the football world association Fifa at a conference in the USA.
Infantino also claimed again that only three deaths had occurred on World Cup construction sites. “It’s not 6,000,” he said, it could be 6,000 in other areas. According to media reports, thousands of workers have died on construction sites in Qatar.
He evaded the question of compensation
The host country of the upcoming World Cup (November 21 to December 18) has been criticized for years for human rights violations and the situation of migrant workers. Infantino referred to progress such as the abolition of the kafala system or the introduction of a minimum wage in the emirate. Human rights organizations report that reforms have been introduced but remain poorly implemented.
When asked about possible compensation for the families of deceased workers, Infantino dodged. The Norwegian association’s president, Lise Klaveness, who gave a remarkable speech at the FIFA Congress about a month ago, recently campaigned for a corresponding aid fund for relatives.