Qatar rejects 'misleading' Zwanziger criticism

Qatar's World Cup chief on Friday dismissed a call from a former FIFA official for the Gulf country to lose the right to host football's biggest tournament in 2022.

Hassan Al-Thawadi, secretary general of Doha's 2022 Supreme Committee, said Theo Zwanziger's criticisms were "misleading" and added that the German had never visited Qatar to see what was going on for himself.

Zwanziger said earlier that Qatar should be stripped of the cup because of human rights violations. He criticised Qatari "arrogance" for not going far enough on labour reform.

Thawadi though said Qatar had announced changes to the much-criticised "kafala" system, which limits the rights of movement for workers and has been likened by critics to modern-day slavery.

"We therefore reject comments made by Theo Zwanziger that are misleading and not based on first hand knowledge of Qatar," said Thawadi.

"We have met Zwanziger and personally invited him to come to Qatar so that he can gain an understanding of the efforts we are making to improve the environment for workers in the country.
Zwanziger said earlier that Qatar should be stripped of the cup because of human rights violations. He criticised Qatari "arrogance" for not going far enough on labour reform.

Thawadi though said Qatar had announced changes to the much-criticised "kafala" system, which limits the rights of movement for workers and has been likened by critics to modern-day slavery.

"We therefore reject comments made by Theo Zwanziger that are misleading and not based on first hand knowledge of Qatar," said Thawadi.

"We have met Zwanziger and personally invited him to come to Qatar so that he can gain an understanding of the efforts we are making to improve the environment for workers in the country.
"Unlike some German experts who have visited Qatar to form their own opinion of our construction sites, he has never visited Qatar."

Zwanziger told Friday's edition of Germany's Die Welt paper that he could not go to Qatar to watch the World Cup.

"Such a visit cannot be explained from an ethical point of view," he said.

"But the best thing would be if the new FIFA leadership strips Qatar of the World Cup."

Zwanziger is a longstanding critic of the World Cup being awarded to Qatar. Earlier this year it was reported in German media that Doha was suing the 70-year-old for libel after he called the country "a cancer on world football".

It is unclear if that legal action is proceeding.

Zwanziger's was not the only criticism Qatar faced. The International Trade Union Confederation claimed 7,000 workers will lose their lives before a ball is kicked in seven years' time.

Last week, Thawadi claimed Qatar had been "singled out" for criticism and that no workers had died on World Cup construction work.
Source: AFP