Tonight’s international friendly between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar in Hungary is in the spotlight for football reasons but also for ones of human rights with a number of calls on the FAI and the players to make a statement in the same manner of the German and Norwegian teams playing in World Cup Qualifiers over recent days.

Both of those saw players wearing t-shirts expressing their anger at the regime of human rights in the state where serious abuses of workers building the stadia that will be used have been recorded. The Guardian newspaper reported last month that as many as 6,500 migrant workers may have died in the emirate since the awarding of the World Cup back in 2010.

The photographs were broadcast around the world, raising awareness and hopefully change. The FAI are is a somewhat more difficult, but also a potentially more powerful position by playing against the hosts. There were no protests by either the Azerbaijan or Luxembourg teams who played earlier games against them in this international window.

Neither of the teams will face disciplinary action with FIFA saying after the Norwegian protest that “FIFA believes in the freedom of speech, and in the power of football as a force for good,” a statement read. “No disciplinary proceedings in relation to this matter will be opened by FIFA.”

Bohemian FC, who, with the support of club sponsor Des Kelly Carpets, donated their away kit last season to highlight the work of Amnesty International, have joined that organisation in calling for action before the game tonight.

“Workers’ rights are human rights, and we want to show solidarity with the people who’ve built the very stadiums that enable this World Cup to take place,” said Daniel Lambert, Chief Operating Officer for Bohemian FC.

“We are calling on the FAI to use their leverage with FIFA and Qatar, and speak out to try and achieve real, long-lasting change for migrant workers. We and our supporters want the legacy of the World Cup 2022 to be a positive one, not one where people are being horrifically exploited.”

“We know that football can be a force for great good, let’s grasp this opportunity to demonstrate this on our biggest stage, the World Cup.”

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny yesterday spoke of ‘unacceptable’ human rights violations but said that any protest would be the decision of the players and that he was unaware at the time of any protest that was planned.

 

Sport for Business Partners