Since Fifa named Qatar the host nation and organizer of the World Cup for men in 2022, there have been reports of migrant workers being exploited and falling victim to modern slavery during the preparations. There are reports of migrants who are both without pay and do not get breaks during their startlingly long work shifts. Now, with about 6 months left until the kick-off, many questions remain about one of the world's largest folk festivals. What responsibility does Fifa have and why has the outside world not done more to prevent these abuses? Is it good to have the World Cup in Qatar so we finally start talking about these problems, which otherwise might not have interested the outside world? Can you follow the World Cup with a clear conscience? And what can be implemented to prevent migrants from being exploited? With these questions as a starting point, FUF invites to discussion and conversations with Ellinor Hagman, Måns Molander and Igor Kubát.
Ellinor Hagman is a lawyer and expert at Amnesty International. She has a special interest in issues concerning human rights and migration law.
Måns Molander has been working since 2015 as the Nordic director at Human Rights Watch. He has previously been head of the section on human rights at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he has been responsible for coordinating human rights in Swedish foreign policy.
Igor Kubat works as a sustainability coordinator at the Swedish Football Association. He has had a long career as a manager for several successful sports teams. Previously, Igor also ran an aid organization in Lebanon and worked for Amnesty International as a lecturer and with the campaign around the World Cup in Qatar.
The purpose of the panel discussion is to make visible how human rights abuses are committed in the name of football and what consequences the World Cup has for the migrant workers who actually make the world championship in Qatar possible. We end the conversation by discussing what obligations Fifa, participants and spectators have and what measures are required to prevent these situations from recurring.
The discussion takes place over Zoom and requires pre-registration. Register no later than 23:55 on 6/6.
The conversation is organized by FUF's event group which consists of young non-profit committed members.
