FIFA welcomes the decision of the Commercial Court of Zurich which rejected a claim about the alleged wrongful behaviour of FIFA towards human rights of foreign workers, in connection with the coming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. 

The Court has rejected a case against FIFA over its supposed complicity in the maltreatment of migrant construction workers in Qatar. Many foreign workers are seen as very vulnerable people in the rich country of the Persian Gulf.

Legal action against FIFA

The Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV) had filed a legal action against FIFA because it did not demand assurances from Qatar about fundamental human rights of migrant construction workers, and ensures the Kafala system is abolished. This system is seen as oppressive because it lets employers monitor workers by controlling their visas and legal status.

The purpose of the legal action was forcing FIFA to exert influence on Qatar so it ensures minimum working standards for foreign workers. The lawsuit was filed by FNV on behalf of Bangladeshi migrant worker Nadim Sharaful Alam, who wanted compensation for damages.

A huge number of migrant workers are exploited in Qatar

Many foreign workers have moved to this tiny and wealthy country in search of better living conditions but many times they are abused. There are about 5,100 construction workers from Nepal, India and Bangladesh who are building stadiums in the rich Gulf nation, Qatar.

FIFA went on to describe many procedures in place to address concerns related with human rights, which includes an agreement between Qatar and the Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) trade union to inspect the living conditions of the workers. This is seen as a way to avoid mistreatment and exploitation.

The treatment of World Cup migrant workers by Qatar, which depends heavily on foreign workers from South Asia, has received continued criticism from human rights groups in 2016. It is supposed that many foreign workers are mistreated and have hard living conditions.