FIFA has agreed to discuss World Cup human rights abuses and migrant worker deaths in Qatar at its annual congress next month.
The Norwegian Football Association lodged an official request that FIFA clarified its human rights responsibilities and potential remediation relating to the 2022 World Cup, as well as future tournaments.
A letter from Norway president Lise Klaveness asked FIFA to “assess whether it has fulfilled its responsibility to remedy related to the 2022 World Cup, including an investigation into World Cup-related deaths and injuries”.
Qatari organisers have admitted that as many as 500 workers have died in building-site accidents across the country since 2014.
The Norway FA welcomed the “progress that has been made in improving labour standards on official World Cup sites and contributing to reforming labour laws in Qatar,” but added: “A true human rights legacy for this specific tournament, and for the future of football, lies in full implementation of its human rights commitments, including remediation.”
FIFA's Council has added Norway's proposal to the agenda for its next congress in Kigali, Rwanda on March 16.
Amnesty International's Head of Economic and Social Justice, Steve Cockburn, said the development was “encouraging” but urged FIFA to “respond with a clear action plan that will deliver justice for workers and their families.”
Qatar was a controversial World Cup host for a number of reasons, including the criminalisation of homosexuality and the restriction of women's rights, as well as the treatment of migrant workers.
Amnesty International, Equidem, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and FairSquare all united to condemn world football's governing body for failing to deliver a positive legacy for workers.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a series of statements on the eve of the tournament in an hour-long speech in which he accused the West of “hypocrisy” in its reporting over the Gulf state's human rights record.
Infantino announced plans for a permanent International Labour Organization (ILO) office in Qatar's capital, Doha, but said western calls for a compensation fund for the families of workers who had died were unnecessary, as the Qataris had already established a workers' support and insurance fund.
A FIFA spokesperson had told The Athletic after Infantino's comments ahead of the tournament that its position remained that “workers who suffered harm in the context of its operations should receive adequate remediation”.
FIFA added that it would continue to work closely with the ILO on developing programmes which will benefit workers globally, and FIFA will look into the possibility of supporting projects in countries that have sent large numbers of workers to Qatar.
The Qatari government has previously told The Athletic: “Over the past two decades, Qatar has transformed its labour system, establishing itself as the region's proud leader when it comes to labour rights. We have taken extensive action — working in conjunction with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other partners – to improve the lives of all workers in Qatar.”
But the Gulf nation's government has remained silent over a state investigation into the death of a Filipino migrant worker during the 2022 World Cup.
The Athletic reported in December that a man had died while carrying out repairs at a resort used as a training base for the Saudi Arabia team at last year's tournament. Despite repeated requests, the government has yet to clarify the investigation's status more than two months after the incident.
(Photo: Getty Images)