The French Football Federation (FFF) has ensured compliance with the working conditions of Blues service providers at the 2022 World Cup, the body announced on Tuesday, October 25. This inspection was carried out after an investigation by France Télévisions into migrant workers in Qatar.
During this mission, carried out from October 18 to 20, the FFF was able to meet with the managers of the subcontractors operating on the base camp of the Blues at the World Cup (November 20-December 18) and “visit employee accommodation sites”. The Federation was able “ensure that the various companies operating in the base camp of the France team (…) comply with the latest reforms in terms of social and labor law in Qatar”can we read in a press release.
“The FFF will be attentive to respect for social and human rights until the end of the competition”adds the instance, which promises a “additional weekly check with all base camp service providers”. Even before this inspection, the security company chosen for the base camp of the Blues had been dismissed “due to the non-respect of social and human rights”recalls the FFF.
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⏯️#ComplementDenquete to (re) see in replay: https://t.co/TOAd8GLiUw pic.twitter.com/eY2DTLftpU
— Further investigation (@Cdenquete) October 14, 2022
In mid-October, its president Noël Le Graët had been harshly criticized by the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castera, “shocked” by the words of the boss of the FFF in the program “Complement of the investigation” of France Televisions. After viewing images of cramped rooms infested with cockroaches where workers pile up on bunk beds, Le Graët replied to the journalist: “It’s not insoluble, it’s paint strokes. There’s still time to fix that”.
Solicited by “Complement of investigation”, the FFF had announced in a letter the sending of this mission and assured to have already “implemented a series of checks on the six providers” from base camp. Qatar is the subject of numerous criticisms from NGOs on respect for human rights, in particular those of foreign workers, particularly from Africa and South Asia, who make up the majority of its population.
Doha stresses that it has reformed its laws: largely abolishing the “kafala” system (need to obtain a permit to leave the country, authorization required to change employer), verification of the payment of wages, introduction of a salary monthly minimum of around 250 euros, maximum working time of 60 hours per week and compulsory rest day.