World Cup 2022: Southgate Chats with Gulf Workers, Defends Tournament
The upcoming World Cup, starting November 20th, has been embroiled in various human rights controversies.
Last year, The Guardian reported that over 6,500 migrant workers lost their lives in Qatar over the past decade, mainly due to poor wage conditions, dangerous work environments, and harsh working conditions often under sweltering heat. However, the tournament organizers have categorically denied this report [1].
Moreover, Qatar faces criticism for its anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
Yet, English manager Gareth Southgate, who led his team to the semi-finals in the last two World Cups, believes the tournament should go ahead. He stated that the workers he spoke to in Qatar were in agreement.
"I've been to Qatar multiple times and met many workers there. They all want the World Cup to happen, and they love football," Southgate told CNN's Amanda Davis. "I want football to come to Qatar."
Southgate acknowledged the human rights issues shrouding Qatar but assured that as a football association, they had discussions with human rights groups and were working hard to support their ideas, compensate affected families, and establish a worker's rights center.
England's captain Harry Kane revealed that he, Christian Eriksen of Denmark, and Hugo Lloris of France had discussed a collective stance on human rights in Qatar. They will join five other national teams in participating in the OneLove campaign which promotes inclusivity and fights discrimination, as they wear unique OneLove armbands during the match with a heart in various background colors.
On Katar's indignation, the country's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, criticized the global criticism towards the Gulf state. He pointed out that the country initially took the criticism positively but soon realized that it was turning into a campaign of false facts and double morals, causing many to question the real motives behind it.
Southgate, reflecting on the 2018 World Cup, said, "There were more expectations than our journey to Russia. But whenever one puts on the England jersey, there are always high expectations. The amazing highs, the incredible moments – both good and bad – balance each other."
Southgate also addressed the chances of England winning the tournament, admitting that due to injuries for some key players, there would be complications.
"The view towards the future makes no sense unless we aim to win. Of course, if we don't try to win, we certainly won't."
Being the England coach is often referred to as an impossible job, but Southgate, with an outstanding track record, having steered England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and then the final of the EURO 2020, has proven otherwise.
Southgate spoke about the 2018 World Cup, "It had more expectations than our journey to Russia. But there's always pressure whenever one puts on the England jersey. The magnificent nights, the unbelievable heights – they are balanced by the challenging times and the discomfort of leading the nation through them."
Enrichment Insights:
The World Cup in Qatar faces human rights controversies related to the exploitation of migrant workers and the persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals. However, some football teams and players have attempted to address these issues.
- Labor Abuse: Multiple reports reveal instances of labor abuse affecting over 46,000 migrant workers, with the Qatari government signing an agreement in 2017 to address these concerns, but progress has been slow [1].
- Working & Living Conditions: Thousands of migrant workers have faced dangerous living and working conditions, resulting in many worker deaths, some linked to the extreme heat exposure [1].
- Government Response: While initially denying the abuses, the Qatari government later signed an agreement with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2017 to tackle issues like the kafala sponsorship system and improve health and safety measures [1].
- LGBTQ+ Rights: Qatar's anti-LGBTQ+ policies have raised concerns about the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ+ players and fans during the tournament, with players like U.S. women’s national team's Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger speaking out against the decision to host the tournament [2].
- Protests & Responses: Some football teams like Germany's national team faced backlash for their protest against human rights abuses during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar while other teams, like the U.S. men's national team, have remained silent or avoided controversy [2].
[1] Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International (various reports) [2] Reuters, CNN, The Guardian (various articles)
