LONDON: FIFA is being urged by Amnesty International not to shy away from the issue of the conditions of construction workers’ abuse in Qatar.

The world federation’s will hear an update on the Qatar issues during its executive committee meeting later this week.

Amnesty, in a statement, said: “Despite previous promises by FIFA to address the ‘unacceptable’ situation for migrant workers in Qatar, last week FIFA’s Secretary-General Jerome Valcke said: FIFA is not a United Nations. FIFA is about sport.”

The London-based rights group called on FIFA to clarify its stance and end mixed messages over its role in addressing the abuse of migrants in Qatar’s construction sector.

Amnesty’s James Lynch added: “When FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, it assumed a responsibility for the human rights impact of that decision. It is involved in this issue, whether it likes it or not.”

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