Meeting aimed to promote human rights despite FIFA Urging teams to focus on football
The Dutch squad selected to play for the FIFA world cup 2022 have decided to meet a group of migrant workers in Qatar. The announcement was made the Royal Dutch Soccer Association, according to a report from the Associated Press on Friday, November 11.
The football team’s efforts to interact with the workers are aimed as a push to promote human rights at the World Cup.
“We are going to Qatar to become world champions, but of course, we look beyond football,” Louis van Gaal, Dutch football team coach, said in a statement, according to the report. He also added that “We find it important to meet the people involved. Therefore, we have invited them to our training to give them a nice memory as well.”
According to the Dutch football federation, the meeting with 20 workers was planned in collaboration with FIFA and a labor organization.
The statement came only days after FIFA urged teams to concentrate on soccer during the World Cup, despite concerns over attitudes toward LGBTQ supporters and migrant workers.
The treatment of the migrant workers who help build the infrastructure for the Qatar Football World Cup, according to the report, have often been subject to harsh working conditions that includes long hours as well as discrimination asides from other abused from their employers.
The three-time World Cup runner-up will kick start their campaign for the 2022 World CUP against Senegal on Nov. 21 in Qatar. In the group stage, the Dutch team will also face Ecuador and the host country.
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