The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has supported FIFA’s plea to disregard off-the-field concerns about the World Cup tournament in Qatar.
Since Qatar won the finals in 2010, there have been discussions concerning the nation’s treatment of migrant workers and its prosecution of same-sex relationships, two issues that have caused the most worry around the world.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, pleaded with the association leaders of the 32 participating nations in a letter last week not to “let football be pulled into every ideological or political fight that exists.”
His CAF counterpart, Patrice Motsepe, has endorsed the request after receiving a similar letter of support earlier this week from the South American confederation CONMEBOL.
“We recognize that football has over the years been an important tool for bringing together and uniting people from different races, language groups, and religious backgrounds,” Motsepe said.
“The World Cup is an important global sporting event that brings together people from different countries and continents for the development and celebration of football worldwide and the advancement of humanity.”
In a joint letter released on Sunday, ten member associations, including the Football Association and the Football Association of Wales, who are a part of a UEFA working group in Qatar, pledged they will keep pressing FIFA to create a centre for migrant workers and a compensation fund.
