Bangladesh trade union joins FIFA Qatar complaint

A Bangladeshi trade union has added its weight to a legal complaint against FIFA, holding world football’s governing body accountable for unfair labour conditions in Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup. The Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV) initially lodged the complaint at the Zurich Commercial Court earlier this year. It accuses Zurich-based FIFA of breaking global labour standards by awarding the competition to a country that operates the “kafala” employment system. This requires all foreign workers in Qatar, and other Gulf countries, to be sponsored by a local employer. The employer reserves the right to withdraw the sponsorship at any time, forcing the worker to leave the country. The employer can also refuse to allow migrant workers to leave by denying them the permission needed for an exit visa. The kafala system has been criticised as a means of stifling worker grievances and forcing them to accept working conditions that fall below international ...