Socceroos stars SLAM Qatar for dismal human rights record ahead 2022 Football World Cup

The Socceroos publicly criticized Qatar in a video ahead of next month’s World Cup for their shocking record on human rights and laws that make homosexuality illegal.

They are the first FIFA World Cup squad to launch a combined protest, also highlighting the ongoing ‘suffering’ of local workers ahead of the sport’s flagship tournament.

The video message, delivered by 16 players, has the support of Football Australia, which has released its own statement on the matter.

The FA insists the ‘suffering’ of workers and their families as a result of the tournament ‘cannot be ignored’.

The World Cup kicks off on November 20 in Doha, in the oil-rich, ultra-conservative state in the Middle East.

Migrant workers have faced oppressive conditions in Qatar in recent years and many have died building infrastructure for the tournament in recent years – although the exact number of fatalities is disputed.

According to The Guardian, as many as 6,500 workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar since it hosted the World Cup in 2010.

Qatar’s tournament organizing committee is adamant that only three people died on the spot while building stadiums.

The Australian players involved in the video are: Captain Mat Ryan, Bailey Wright, Jamie Maclaren, Nick D’Agostino, Jackson Irvine, Craig Goodwin, Danny Vukovic, Andrew Redmayne, Mathew Leckie, Mitchell Duke, Mitch Langerak, Denis Genreau, Cameron Devlin, Adam Taggart and Kye Rowles.

Alex Wilkinson – the chairman of the Professional Footballers Australia players’ union and Sydney FC skipper – can also be seen in the extended clip.

The collective message is clear – the decision to grant Qatar hosting rights to the World Cup has “caused the suffering and harm of many of our colleagues”, while also pointing out that homosexuality is currently illegal in the country.

Cultheld goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne also highlighted the ongoing ‘suffering’ of local workers ahead of Qatar sports tournament showpiece

“We stand behind FIFPro, the Building and Wood Workers International and the International Trade Union Confederation, who seek to anchor reforms and establish a lasting legacy in Qatar,” the video outlines.

This should include the establishment of a migrant center, an effective remedy for those denied their rights, and the decriminalization of all same-sex relations.

“These are the basic rights that should be granted to everyone and that will ensure continued progress in Qatar… [and] a legacy that goes far beyond the final whistle of the 2022 World Cup.”

The players’ statement was made after a series of briefings with numerous authorities over the past 12 months, including FIFA and Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Legacy and Development, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

It also included groups advocating for workers in Qatar.

Football Australia’s statement acknowledged recent legal reforms in Qatar but backed players’ call for a center for migrant workers to protect workers’ rights after the World Cup.

They also want people who identify as LGBTQ to be treated with dignity in Qatar.

The powerful video message, delivered by 16 players, has the support of Football Australia, who have released their own statement on the matter (pictured, midfielder Jackson Irvine)

“As the most multicultural, diverse and inclusive sport in our country, we believe everyone should feel safe and be themselves,” the FA said.

“While we recognize the highest assurances given by Qatari HH Amir and the FIFA President that LGBTI+ fans will be welcomed safely to Qatar, we hope that this openness can continue beyond the tournament.”

The primary purpose of the exercise involving the Socceroos was an “opportunity to raise awareness of a number of key issues and help influence change globally and domestically.”

Other countries participating in the World Cup are expected to make their own statements on the pitch in Qatar.

Denmark – which plays Australia in Group D – will be donning one-color ‘protest’ jerseys and have kept to a minimum any commercial activity or travel prior to the tournament that Qatar is promoting.

English footballers will wear ‘One Love’ bracelets, a protest against the banning of same-sex relationships in Qatar.