September 29, 2022
Cited article by The Associated Press & Reuters, via The Guardian
HRRC supports the efforts of Denmark and clothing manufacturer Hummel in designing their football World Cup shirts to protest the human rights record of Qatar. Sending a European football federation to Qatar will provide further oversight to ensure the country is taking steps to correct its long standing labor law issues.
Article Summary
Denmark announced that its World Cup football team will be wearing shirts that criticize the human rights record of host nation Qatar. FIFA's World Cup rules dictate there cannot be political statements on team uniforms. However, the planned attire for Denmark complies as the shirts don't have any words or symbols conveying any specific statement. Hummel stated, “While we support the Danish national team all the way, this shouldn’t be confused with support for a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives.” Notably, Qatar's World Cup organizers have disputed the tournament cost thousands of people's lives.
Over the past decade, Qatar has been criticized for its treatment of migrant workers, particularly those from South Asia. Amnesty International released a report in 2021 stating that thousands migrant workers were being exploited. Danish officials have taken a lead role in a European football federation group that is going to visit Qatar to monitor reforms to the labor laws that Qatar has promised.