“We all must say no to racism and any form of discrimination.” Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA.

It's not too late to show FIFA that we won't forget our principles in the name of football. After all, a principle is not a principle until it costs you something. We can all play a role in making sure that events like Qatar don't happen again.

More than 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since it won the right to host the World Cup. This figure does not include deaths from a number of countries which send large numbers of workers to Qatar or deaths that occurred in the final months of 2020.

Qatar’s labour laws fall short of upholding basic human rights for migrant workers. Workers are exposed to forced labour, unpaid wages, restrictions on free movement, passport confiscations and abusive, degrading treatment. Workers describe being insulted, beaten and spat at. The overcrowded labour camps lack adequate water supplies and basic sanitation. 

These foreign workers face discrimination because of their nationalities, racial identities and because they are poor.

Qatar is openly homophobic and enforces up to three years in prison for any acts of homosexuality. Flogging and the death penalty for homosexuals is still legal. Suspending anti-LGBT laws during the tournament has been discussed, though ultimately rejected by the Qatari government.

Women in Qatar are living under a system of deep discrimination – dependent on men for permission to marry, travel, pursue higher education or make decisions about their own children. Rules on male guardianship leave women without basic freedoms. Domestic violence and marital rape are not criminalised in Qatar. Furthermore, the legal system allows lenient sentences to men who commit “crimes of honour” against women. In a court of law, the testimony of a woman is not viewed as equal to that of a man.

Many players, who have taken the knee as part of the international sporting movement protesting racial inequality, have shifted uneasily when asked about the deep inequality in Qatar.

This is not an argument to undermine those taking the knee. But taking a stance against Qatar should be a natural follow-on for teams who are against racism and inequality.

 

Gaining traction 

Norway has confirmed its intention to discuss a potential boycott and we should be doing the same.

Discussions in Norway have so far been complemented by Denmark expressing their opposition to Qatar 2022, while national coach Kasper Hjulmand has said he will back any player who chooses to boycott.

The ProFans alliance in Germany has meanwhile asked the DFB (German Football Association) not to participate, stating it would be “the end of ethics and dignity” to appear in a "lavish football festival on the graves of thousands of migrant workers".

 

What do we want?

In the age of taking the knee against racial inequality, we are asking the England football team to take a stand against modern slavery, racism, gender inequality, homophobia and the death of 6,500 slave labourers and counting.

If we pull out now, it might not be too late to change the hosting country. 

We want the FA, Gareth Southgate & the England football team to take a stand by demonstrating their opposition to the Qatari regime by speaking out against it and considering a boycott. 

We hope that if enough teams boycott the tournament, FIFA will consider another venue in a country where all supporters, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation will be welcomed. Furthermore, a boycott will show FIFA that enough is enough and may prevent events like Qatar happening in the future. The lives lost will not be in vein, but could put a stop to more lives being unnecessarily lost.

 

Last word...

Recently, we have made some small steps in the right direction against racism and discrimination in the UK and in football, but it’s hard not to see this as a huge step backwards. By playing in the Qatar World Cup and supporting the games we are simply saying we don’t care enough.

Like everyone else, we love the World Cup but not at all costs, be it the cost of human life or forgetting where we stand as a country and our values.

We should not tolerate this discrimination and disregard for human life in the name of football. 

 

#stopqatar