OSLO: Three Norwegian clubs have urged the national football federation to boycott the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar over the issue of fatalities among migrant workers in the Gulf state.

The call followed publication of a survey by The Guardian claiming that 6,500 immigrant workers had died since 2010 when Qatar was the shock choice of world federation FIFA to stage the tournament.

Top division Tromsø issued a statement saying: “The fact that corruption, modern slavery and a high number of dead workers are the basis of the most important thing we have, the World Cup, is not acceptable. We can no longer sit back and watch people die in the name of football.

“We believe that if Norway qualify through the upcoming qualification, we should refuse to travel to Qatar.”

Viking of Stavanger and Strømsgodset supported the boycott call and a further trio – Rosenborg, Odd and Stabæk – will put the issue on the agenda of their next board meetings.

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