On Thursday, Qatar's FIFA World Cup organizing committee praised the Socceroos for raising "important issues" in an orchestrated post of player videos, but defended the nation's efforts to improve workers' rights and lives. .
Sixteen members of the Australian national team, one of 32 teams competing in next month's tournament, appeared in a video expressing concern about Qatar's human rights record and calling for further labor reforms and the decriminalization of people-to-people relations. same sex. Backed by similar statements from Football Australia and Professional Footballers Australia, the video, which made the Socceroos the first contestant to collectively criticize the host nation, attracted international headlines and a response from officials.
A spokesperson for the Qatar organizing committee said his priority was "to protect the health, safety and dignity of all workers", but admitted that no country, not even Australia, was "perfect" in that area. "We congratulate the players who use their platforms to raise awareness on important issues," the spokesperson said in a statement.
“We have gone to great lengths to ensure that this World Cup has had a transformative impact on improving life, particularly for those involved in building the competition venues and not for whom we are responsible. “Protecting the health, safety and dignity of all workers contributing to this World Cup is our priority.
“The Qatari government's labor reforms are recognized by the ILO, the ITUC and numerous human rights organizations as a benchmark in the region. “New laws and reforms often take time to take effect and strong enforcement of labor laws is a global challenge, including in Australia.
“No country is perfect and all countries, whether they host major events or not, have their own challenges. "This World Cup has contributed to a legacy of progress, best practices and life improvement, and it is a legacy that will survive long after the last ball has been kicked."
You can watch the video in twitter platform. Click to view.
Before releasing the statement, the Australian players spoke with trade unions, including some workers who helped build the stadiums that will be used for the World Cup, and advocacy groups such as Amnesty International.
"Over the past two years, we have embarked on a journey to understand and learn more about the situation in Qatar," said Socceroos captain Mat Ryan in the video that went viral. The FA also released a statement criticizing Qatar's human rights record, although it stopped short of boycotting the tournament.
"We recognize the significant progress and legislative reforms (which) have occurred in Qatar in recent years to recognize and protect workers' rights and encourage all stakeholders to continue this reform path," he said. "However, we also learned that the tournament was associated with the suffering of some migrant workers and their families and this cannot be ignored."
Captains of major European football nations, including England, France and Germany, are planning to wear rainbow-colored bracelets and the yet-to-be-approved "One Love" message in an anti-discrimination campaign during the tournament.
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