England FUME over FIFA’s plea to keep quiet and focus on football at World Cup… with angered European nations plotting robust response as they wait on crucial information over social and political issues
The FA and other European countries are planning a robust response to FIFA after being told by president Gianni Infantino to stick to talking about football during the World Cup.
Sportsmail has learned a joint statement from the 13 European nations competing in Qatar is to be released this weekend, which will claim they have yet to receive crucial information from FIFA over a series of social and political issues resulting from the tournament.
The European countries are in no mood to back down after receiving a letter out of the blue from FIFA on Friday.
The FA have been part of a UEFA Working Group on Qatar for 18 months, which has posed a series of key questions for tournament organisers that have yet to be answered.
The UEFA Working Group has demanded compensation for the families of workers who have died building World Cup stadiums and the creation of a workers’ centre in Doha.
The FA are also seeking clarification on how gay fans will be treated during the tournament and how the police will respond to any public drunkenness from fans.
Infantino has come under fire from human rights groups, with his bid to silence nations branded ‘nothing short of appalling’.
The English FA, as well as 12 other European nations, will produce a joint-statement this weekend in response to FIFA’s plea for teams at the World Cup to focus on football
Angry European nations are waiting on crucial information over key social and political issues
Qatar’s human rights record and the rights of migrant workers, women and the LBGT community in the country have been under scrutiny ahead of the event.
Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s head of economic and social justice, said: ‘If Gianni Infantino wants the world to ‘focus on the football’ there is a simple solution – FIFA could finally start tackling the serious human rights issues rather than brushing them under the carpet.
‘A first step would be committing to a fund to compensate migrant workers and ensuring LGBT people do not face discrimination or harassment. It is astonishing they still have not done so.
‘Hundreds of thousands of workers have faced abuses to make this tournament possible and their rights cannot be forgotten or dismissed. They deserve justice and compensation, not empty words. Time is running out.’
FIFA president Gianni Infantino (left) has come under fire from human rights groups over his plea to competing nations to avoid bringing the game into disrepute with off-field issues
Yasmine Ahmed, UK director of Human Rights Watch said: ‘The content of this letter is nothing short of appalling.
‘Suggesting that imprisoning LGBT people and allowing grave labour abuses is cultural or based in belief is not only nonsensical, it is deeply offensive.
‘Instead of spending its energy sportswashing Qatar’s abuses, FIFA should be looking at ways to support the thousands of workers and their families who continue to suffer because of the World Cup.’
The FA have also united with nine other European countries to create the OneLove campaign. It aims to promote inclusion and oppose discrimination during the World Cup and will see captains wear an armband featuring a rainbow-coloured heart.
But FIFA have yet to approve the plan, although England and Wales will press ahead with it despite facing a fine for breaking a ban on political activities.
The Football Association has also united with nine other European countries to create the OneLove campaign – although FIFA are yet to approve the plan two weeks from the tournament