“There are universal values that should define football. Values such as respect, dignity, trust and courage.”
In a video released just weeks before the FIFA World Cup, the Socceroos have demanded Qatar establish a migrant resource centre and decriminalise same-sex relationships.
Qatar was named the host country for the FIFA World Cup back in 2010 and, during the decade since, has had a spotlight shone on its workers’ rights abuses.
The country has made progress in recent years and the establishment of minimum wage and better working conditions are an important initial step. However, there are many working conditions in the country that remain simply unacceptable.
The migrant workers that have paved the way for Qatar to host the FIFA World Cup have been heavily exploited, suffering from wage theft and forced labour. There have even been incidences of unexplained migrant worker deaths.
“These migrant workers who have suffered are not just numbers,” the Socceroos said.
“Like the migrants that have shaped our country and our football, they possessed the same courage and determination to build a better life.”
The dangers of ‘sportwashing’
“We have seen the power of football and the impact is has on people,” the players said in the video.
It is this same power that attracts a dodgy corporation – or a country with a poor human rights record, in this case – to co-opting the game for the sake of improving their reputation and image.
But as union members with Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), the Socceroos refused to stand by in silence.
Union members stand up for workers beyond borders
“As PFA members, we understand the power of collective bargaining and the fundamental rights of all workers to form and join a union,” the Socceroos said.
“Before players had won these rights, their careers in Australia were characterised by the absence of respect and dignity.”
“It is for these reasons we must speak about the situation in Qatar.”
This collective action from the Socceroos has been part of a larger campaign that has seen union members achieve wins for migrant workers and queer workers for decades. And we certainly won’t be stopping anything soon.
The Australian union movement has always treated workers as people first. That’s why union members stand together for better workplace conditions and a better society for all. Always.
Cover photo credit: Connor Coyne on Unsplash
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Union members kick back against ‘sportwashing’ for FIFA World Cup