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FIFA blames France and Germany for 'slave working conditions' in Qatar stadiums
Amnesty International said migrant workers were being treated like “animals” and Blatter described the situation as 'unacceptable' FIFA boss Sepp Blatter on Friday hit back at criticism over work conditions on World Cup venues in Qatar, accusing European companies and saying France and Germany pushed the bid for “economic interests”.
In a report this week, Amnesty International said migrant workers were being treated like “animals” and urged FIFA to press Qatar to improve the conditions of foreign laborers, most of them from South Asia. However Blatter said the blame lay squarely with the European companies operating in the Gulf State.
“The big companies working there are European companies, most of them. The constructor is responsible for the workers,” Blatter told reporters in Rome, adding that FIFA “deplored” the situation in Qatar.
“The Europeans are unhappy but it was pressure from European countries that brought this World Cup to Qatar because there were so many economic interests,” he said.
“Two of these countries that made pressure are France and Germany... European politicians and heads of state of these countries should say what they think of the situation. It can't all be on FIFA,” he added.
The Gulf emirate, which rejects claims of slavery-style conditions in what is one of the world's wealthiest nations per capita, said it would include the findings in an inquiry it has already launched.
Following Amnesty's report, FIFA has already called for Qatar to take concrete steps by March to resolve the issue and Blatter called the situation “unacceptable”.
Blatter, meanwhile, reiterated his desire to hold the 2022 edition at the end of the calendar year. The FIFA boss has already rejected the traditional June-July period because of Qatar's searing desert heat.
“We are now consulting the stakeholders - teams, players, leagues, federations - about the international calendar, also media and marketing, to look if it's possible to play at the end of the year, in November-December,” Blatter said.
“I think it's advisable to play at the end of the year.”
Looking ahead to next year's tournament in Brazil, Blatter said matches with midday kick-off times may be moved to later in the day to avoid intense heat and humidity. He said the issue would be raised at next month's FIFA executive committee meeting in Salvador, Brazil.
The kick-off times “have been established but not sanctioned,” he said. “It's a very important matter.”
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Read all commentsDoes FIFA have no shame? One of the people who voted for Qatar was Julio Grondona the Argentinian Senior Vice –President who supported Qatar purely out of anti-American spite. Nigeria’s Amos Adamu and Tahiti’s Reynald Temarii received bans from the FIFA ethics committee after telling undercover reporters their votes could be bought. Mohammed bin Hammam the FIFA Executive committee member from Qatar was also banned for life from football administration after being caught paying bribes. Jack Warner former Vice president of FIFA and President of CONCACAF was also forced to resign for corruption. When the BBC TV exposed further bribe taking by Ricardo Teixeira (Brazil) Nicolas Leoz ( Paraguay) and Issa Hayatou (Cameroon) involving marketing and broadcasting rights, Seep Blatter complained about the “evils of the Media”. Cameroon’s Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma, of the Ivorian Football ¬Federation were accused of accepting £1.5million to vote for Qatar. Both denied it.
Nov 23rd, 2013 - 11:40 am 0Russia and Qatar both bribed their way to the World Cup. It’s ridiculous to blame Germany and France for the fact that Qatar treats its guest workers abominably. This has been going on long before they bribed their way to the World Cup. Did they even vote for Qatar?
FIFA is one big swamp of greed and corruption. It’s like a fat parasitic slug flying first class from one 5 star bid process to the next sucking up gifts and bribes and flattery. The executive committee hoovers up $100’s of millions in revenues from advertisers, marketers and TV broadcasts then Seep Blatter uses this money to “award” millions in “football development” programs to his third world friends in order to get himself re-elected. FIFA is an open sewer.
@1 rupertbrookso It's “Sepp” (as in septic) not “Seep” (as in mould). Having said that, this (money-grabbing) Swiss has been in office since 1998. He was re-elected as head of FIFA in 2002, and was re-elected unopposed for another four years on 31 May 2007, even though only 66 of 207 FIFA members nominated him. And 2011. Sounds a bit “bent”. Even back in 1998, there were accusations of bribery. And Switzerland does have a lot of money. Not all its own. Doubt whether the nazis will be back for their deposits. Although I guess argieland might want to claim it “inherited” the deposits. There's a thought. Could argieland actually pay off its debts with nazi loot?
Nov 23rd, 2013 - 04:25 pm 0Back to Septic Blatter. Time to get rid. Blatter must be splattered. For the sake of soccer. He is, after all, a pervert. President of an organisation dedicated to determining what underwear women could wear. And there needs to be a proper investigation, under Interpol control. Every national association to be investigated by their own country's police and then again by a third country police force. Correlation by Interpol. And there's too much money in soccer. Everything should be reduced by 90%. Transfer fees capped at £100,000. Maximum player salary capped at £120,000 per annum and equivalents in all countries. And the salary of the “president” of FIFA? How about £50,000?
France and Germany using slaves in Qatar, Italians using slaves for luxury goods in Bangladesh, Brits using women slaves in Britain itself.
Nov 23rd, 2013 - 09:05 pm 0You can put lipstick on a pig, but...
Euros will be Euros. 2000 years as slave-using socities wasn't gonna evaporate overnight from their genetic pool now was it.
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