Every day its shock, where almost, for several weeks, at the French Football Federation (FFF). Entangled in a series of dysfunctions and some scandals, the FFF was challenged by Amnesty International on Friday in an open letter. The day after the France-Austria match (2-0), the NGO regretted the “deafening silence” of the federation and the Blues “in the face of the thousands of migrant workers who died on Qatari construction sites [du prochain Mondial]and the thousands of others subjected to forced labour”. Saturday September 24, the FFF gave its answer, annoyed, in a press release. Claiming that Amnesty is a “wonderful organization”the federation has “deplored” a “stigmatization campaign”.
“Free to express themselves or not, [la FFF et l’équipe de France] did not wait for the deadline [du prochain Mondial] to defend on a daily basis, in the field, and at their level, human rights, as well as other essential causes”says the federation. ” To participate [à la Coupe du monde] does not mean closing our eyes and condoning”explains the FFF.
“Social progress”
In concrete terms, the body headed by Noël Le Graët claims to have “implemented various verification measures concerning the respect of social rights and the application of respectful working conditions on the base camp of the France team” in Qatar.
The FFF also believes that “the organization of this World Cup has (…) enabled social advances in Qatar that even some NGOs recognize, including Amnesty International”. “Even if the reality on the ground is not perfect, this progress is undeniable and positive”, she says.
In its open letter, Amnesty held up as an example the sponsors of the Danish football team, which “have decided to remove their logos from the players’ training shirts and replace them with a message in favor of respect for human rights in Qatar”.
Very active on the subject in the run-up to the World Cup (November 20-December 18), the NGO published, on September 15, an opinion poll carried out among more than 17,000 adults in fifteen countries (in Europe, in the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Morocco and Kenya). This study specifies in particular that more than two thirds of respondents (including 73% in France) would like national football federations to “speak publicly on human rights cases” as part of the World Cup.
Before the press release published on Saturday morning, the French Football Federation had always refused to comment on this very controversial file. Just Noël Le Graët, the president of the “3F”, he said to himself ” very happy [que l’équipe de France] come and play in Qatar » during the tournament draw, on 1er April in Doha.
Saturday afternoon, Amnesty International France welcomed, in a statement sent to AFP, the reaction of the FFF: “The FFF finally breaks its silence on the question of human rights in Qatar! » Jean-Claude Samouiller, president of the NGO in France adds: “We are delighted that the FFF is exercising its duty of vigilance towards the service providers with which it will be in contact in Qatar”says , president of Amnesty International France in this press release.
On September 15, Amnesty called for the creation of a compensation fund for ” workers whose rights have been violated since 2010” as part of the projects undertaken to organize the World Cup in the emirate. “We welcome the fact [que la FFF] join the federations (…) who wish to set it up” of this fund, also adds the NGO.
The question of human rights in Qatar and the environmental cost of organizing this event in the emirate are the two main subjects put forward by personalities and organizations calling for a boycott of the World Cup.