A year after the World Cup in Qatar, the human rights group Amnesty International called on Qatar and the International Football Federation (FIFA) to do more for migrant workers who were hired to build facilities for the World Cup.
Qatar's treatment of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers has drawn intense scrutiny and criticism more than a decade before the start of the World Cup.
"Qatar and Fifa must act urgently to ensure that the victims' right to legal remedy and compensation is no longer denied or delayed," Amnesty said in a statement.
FIFA and the International Labor Organization acknowledge that problems remain and that more needs to be done to implement reforms to Qatar's law.
Qatar has spent around $200 billion on massive construction projects ahead of football's biggest event, including stadiums, roads, metro lines and hotels. Most of these stadiums will host the Asian Cup in January.
"The abuses surrounding the 2022 World Cup should remind sporting bodies that human rights must always be at the heart of decisions when awarding events," Amnesty chief Steve Cockburn said.
Current problems in Qatar, Amnesty claims, include restricting workers' freedom to change jobs, wage theft and freezing the minimum wage at 2021 levels despite a global cost crisis.
"Qatar's continued failure to implement or strengthen its labor reforms ahead of the World Cup puts workers at serious risk," Amnesty said.
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