World Cup 2022: Fifa tells all competing nations to 'focus on football' in Qatar
Fifa has written to all 32 teams competing at the World Cup
telling them to "now focus on the football" following a controversial
build-up.
Host Qatar has been criticised for its stance on same-sex
relationships, its human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers.
The tournament starts on 20 November.
The letter urges that football should not be "dragged"
into ideological or political "battles" and it should not be
"handing out moral lessons".
Peaceful protests have been planned by some players.
England's Harry Kane and nine other captains of European teams
will be wearing 'One
Love' armbands.
Denmark will wear "toned-down"
shirts to protest against Qatar, with kit provider
Hummel saying it "does not wish to be visible" in a tournament it
claims "has cost thousands of lives".
Australia's squad have released
a video urging Qatar to abolish its laws on same-sex
relationships.
Paris, and other French cities, are refusing to screen matches
in public areas, despite France being the defending champions.
The letter, signed by Fifa president Gianni Infantino and
secretary general Fatma Samoura and seen by the BBC, reads: "We know
football does not live in a vacuum and we are equally aware that there are many
challenges and difficulties of a political nature all around the world.
"But please do not allow football to be dragged into every
ideological or political battle that exists.
It adds: "At Fifa, we try to respect all opinions and
beliefs, without handing out moral lessons to the rest of the world. No one
people or culture or nation is "better" than any other. This
principle is the very foundation stone of mutual respect and non-discrimination.
"And this is also one of the core values of football. So,
please let's all remember that and let football take centre stage.
"We have the unique occasion and opportunity to welcome and
embrace everyone, regardless of origin, background, religion, gender, sexual
orientation or nationality."
We try to help as much as
we can - Henderson
Speaking this week, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said it was
"not fair" to expect players to make political statements or protests
at the tournament.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson said on BBC Radio 5 live
Breakfast: "A lot gets put on players on should the World Cup be played
there and everything that goes with that, but the players don't decide where
the World Cup is played.
"Fifa decides that and that is a question for them to
answer. For us as players we just play football and try to have a voice in
certain ways to help as much as we can."
He added: "We do little things like that to try and show
people we are all one, we are all inclusive and that is why that campaign
[Kane's armband] was brought to light.
"If you do the right things, that is most important. Unless
everyone is just not going to turn up, then no matter what people say it is
never going to be enough."
England's Beth Mead said on Thursday it is "disappointing"
the tournament is being held in Qatar. Mead, who is openly gay, does not think the
Gulf state is the "right place" for the tournament to be staged.
A controversial build-up
Other off-the-field issues include Russia being banned by Fifa
after the country's invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the Ukrainian
FA has called for Iran to be banned from the World Cup for "systematic human
rights violations". It believes a crackdown on protests in the country
"may violate the principles and norms" of Fifa.
The World Cup has been moved to the winter for the first time in
its 92-year history. Qatar initially proposed to host the finals during the
summer in air-conditioned enclosed stadiums, but the plan was rejected.
Qatar's World Cup organisers state "everyone is
welcome" to visit the country to watch the football, and that no-one will
be discriminated against.
Seven new stadiums have been built for the
event, as well as an airport, roads and about 100 hotels. Qatar's government
says 30,000 foreign labourers have been hired just to build the stadiums, with
most coming from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and the Philippines.
Human rights groups have complained about the
treatment of foreign labourers in Qatar, and the number who have died there.
In February 2021, the Guardian said 6,500
migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had died
in Qatar since it won its World Cup bid in 2010.
The number is based on figures provided by the
countries' embassies in Qatar.
However, the Qatar government said the total
was misleading, because not all the deaths recorded were of people working on
World Cup-related projects.
The government said its accident records
showed that between 2014 and 2020, there were 37 deaths among labourers at
World Cup stadium construction sites, only three of which were
"work-related".
BBC Arabic has gathered evidence which
suggests Qatar's government has under-reported deaths among foreign labourers.
England's Football Association has backed
calls for compensation to be awarded for "any injury or death related to
any construction project" for the World Cup.
