World Cup: Arab League backs Qatar in World Cup 'defamation campaign'

ALGIERS – Arab states on Wednesday slammed what they called a “defamation campaign” against Qatar over its human rights record ahead of the Nov 20-Dec 18 World Cup.

In the final declaration of the Arab League summit in Algeria, the 22-member bloc confirmed its “support” for the tiny Gulf state “and total confidence in its ability to organise an excellent edition of this global event”.

Qatar, whose ruler Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al Thani was at the meeting in Algiers,

has faced global criticism

over its treatment of foreign workers, and over LGBTQ and women’s rights. The Arab League’s member states, which adopted the resolution unanimously, confirmed “our total rejection of the baseless campaign of defamation” against Qatar.

On Wednesday, Qatar’s Labour Minister Ali Samikh Al Marri said the country has rejected calls for a new compensation fund for migrant workers killed or injured on its mega projects for the World Cup. He said that Qatar has an existing fund to deal with worker deaths and injuries, and is already handing out hundreds of millions of dollars for unpaid wages.

The tiny but gas-rich emirate has spent tens of billions of dollars on preparations for the tournament, which will kick off with the clash between the home team and Ecuador on Nov 20.

On Oct 25, Sheikh Tamim said that “since we won the honour of hosting the World Cup, Qatar has been subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has faced”.

Separately, more than 50,000 people have been trained to provide security at the World Cup in line with Fifa standards, and international security personnel will operate under a unified Qatari command, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.

Authorities also said they have seized 144 counterfeit World Cup trophies, the latest raid on fakes hitting the market ahead of the tournament.

The Interior Ministry said officers launched an operation “acting on a piece of information about a website that promotes the sale of cups that mimic the true shape of the World Cup”. It released a photo showing the 144 life-sized trophies laid out across a floor and stated that “further legal procedures will be followed”. It did not say where the trophies were found, nor whether suspects had been detained.

Fifa and Qatari authorities have stepped up warnings recently about distributing or buying World Cup fakes. In June, Qatar warned drivers that it was illegal to have a World Cup logo on car number plates, after special plates were sold in online auctions. REUTERS, AFP