Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

CEO blasts criticism of Qatar World Cup human rights

by French Press Agency - AFP

DOHA Nov 21, 2021 - 1:43 pm GMT+3
Construction workers walking next to Lusail, one of World Cup stadiums, in Doha, Qatar, Dec. 20, 2019. (AFP PHOTO)
Construction workers walking next to Lusail, one of World Cup stadiums, in Doha, Qatar, Dec. 20, 2019. (AFP PHOTO)
by French Press Agency - AFP Nov 21, 2021 1:43 pm
RECOMMENDED
Galatasaray's Mauro Icardi celebrates a goal in a Süper Lig match against Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 5, 2022. (AA Photo)

Icardi double guides Galatasaray to key derby win over Beşiktaş

turkish-süper-lig

Qatar responded to human rights violations accusations over the inaugural World Cup it will host next year.

The Qatar World Cup has been "unfairly treated and scrutinized" for years, its chief executive said on Saturday, hitting back at criticism.

CEO Nasser Al Khater said Qatar has not been given enough credit for its labor reforms aimed at improving conditions for migrant workers, mostly from South Asia. Since 2014, three people have died in accidents at World Cup sites, while 39 have died in "non-work related" incidents deemed natural causes, a spokesperson said. "Qatar has been unfairly treated and scrutinized for a number of years," Khater told media just over a year before the tournament starts on Nov. 21, 2022. "There is criticism, yes, there is work that needs to be done. There is however a lot of progress."

Some European teams have highlighted the plight of Qatar's migrant workers during World Cup qualifiers, and F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton also raised the issue at this week's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix. But Al Khater said there had been "extraordinary" progress, including the introduction of a minimum wage and improvements to working conditions and accommodation. "The amount of achievements that have been done over the past seven, eight, nine years, it's quite extraordinary. Now unfortunately, people don't like to report on that," he said. "You take it into the context of the region also. I think Qatar is a trailblazer right now with all the reform that it's done."

Qatar, a tiny, resource-rich peninsula, will hold the first World Cup in the Middle East a year from now, in eight stadiums in and around the capital Doha.

Reflecting on early controversy over the country's successful bid for hosting rights in 2010, Al Khater "categorically" denied vote-buying allegations. "There have been many allegations made against Qatar. They have been investigated heavily... if anything, all of these investigations have shown that Qatar is vindicated," he said. Khater also insisted that members of the LGBTQ+ community were welcome in Qatar and that same-sex partners would be able to share hotel rooms, despite laws against homosexuality.

"Everybody is going to be welcome here, everybody's going to feel safe here. Everybody's going to enjoy the World Cup," he said. "There's really not any issue that anybody has to worry about in terms of persecution of any sort." He also damped down concerns over a lack of hotel rooms and over price-gouging, insisting: "There will be sufficient accommodation for all the fans coming to Qatar."

With one year to go, Qatar also unveiled the seventh of its eight World Cup arenas, complete with a new name – Stadium 974. The arena, formerly known as Ras Abu Aboud, is made out of 974 shipping containers – the same number as Qatar's international dialing code.

Qatar has issued a string of reforms to its employment regulations since being selected to host the World Cup, including introducing a $275 monthly minimum wage and simplifying the process for changing employers.

More than 2 million foreigners work in Qatar, many employed directly or indirectly on vast infrastructure projects for the World Cup.

RECOMMENDED
Galatasaray's Mauro Icardi celebrates a goal in a Süper Lig match against Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Türkiye, Nov. 5, 2022. (AA Photo)

Icardi double guides Galatasaray to key derby win over Beşiktaş

turkish-süper-lig
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Nov 21, 2021 2:44 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    qatar world cup 2022 human rights nasser al-khater migrant workers
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    For the European Union, Cyprus is an instrument to hold Türkiye politically hostage. (Erhan Yalvaç Illustration)

    How to create a united state in Cyprus?

    CYPRUS-ISSUE
    Türkiye's main battle tank Altay is seen in this file photo, Nov. 15, 2012. (Photo by Mesut Er)

    Türkiye inks $200M deal with S.Korean firm for parts of MBT Altay

    altay-tank

    Dutch, German consulates in Istanbul close over 'security threats'

    türkiye-eu-relations

    Religion not included in NATO deal with Türkiye: Swedish FM

    TÜRKIYE-SWEDEN-RELATIONS
    No Image
    Droughts, floods and a cat: Weekly top photos
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021