Australian football great Craig Foster says FIFA, and players, must do more to protest several humanitarian issues ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Qatar’s Cup bid caused controversy from the start, much to the ire of Australians who missed out on the hosting rights but have since heard extensive reports of corruption surrounding Qatar’s victory.
Now, 12 months out from the event, Foster says there’s major concerns about the safety of women in the Middle East country, among other issues.
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“It’s been a total mess,” Foster told Nine’s Sports Sunday.
“The World Cup is about the world, and therefore I believe that Oceania and Australia have an opportunity to host it, as should the Middle East. It has to go there.
“But the way it was done, there was a huge amount of corruption that’s been uncovered. There was talk of CIA spies being used by Qatar to spy on other bids.
“Even after they were awarded it, on sporting dissidence, we had massive deaths of migrant workers. We had two Norwegian sports journalists who were covering the labour rights abuse last week who were arrested and then released.
“And of course we know a number of Australian women were horrifically violated when they were at the Qatar airport, along with women from around the world.
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“FIFA and the Qatar government are yet to give assurances or safeguards about all the women who are going to be going to the World Cup.
“It’s the most problematic, controversial World Cup in history.
“Players all around the world – not yet our Socceroos… but so many teams around the world are protesting about human rights, LGTBI rights, women’s rights and lack of autonomy and all of these issues.”
Foster says FIFA – football’s global governing body – has been too quiet on these issues.
“Qatar in many ways is a really good example of how sport can force positive change. But that’s not FIFA, that’s come from the players and from sponsors putting pressure on them, and from human rights organisations,” he said.
The World Cup will be held in November and December next year.