In a letter published by Sky News on Thursday, FIFA urged Qatar’s controversial national teams to focus on football and stop giving moral lessons.
Qatar has been criticized for human rights, foreign workers involved in major World Cup infrastructure projects, women’s rights and LGBTQ rights.
Homosexuality is illegal in the Gulf states, and the captains of several major European countries, including England, France and Germany, wear the rainbow-enchanted “One Love” names as part of an anti-discrimination campaign.
Last week, Australia’s national team condemned the “suffering” of migrant workers.
“Let’s focus on football now, please!” FIFA president Gianni Infantino and general secretary Fatma Samoura announced the news in a letter sent to the 32 World Cup squads, which the world soccer governing body confirmed to AFP.
“We know that football does not live in a vacuum and we also know that there are many political challenges and difficulties in the world.
“But don’t let football get involved in an ideological or political battle.
Qatari organizers have defended the country’s rights.
Following the criticism from the Australian players, a World Cup spokesman said it was also a “challenge” for Australia to introduce a “strong” labor law.
Earlier this week, Arab League countries condemned Qatar for libel ahead of the tournament.
“One of the world’s greatest strengths is indeed its diversity, and if inclusion means anything, it means respecting diversity,” FIFA said in the letter.
“No person, culture or nation is ‘better’ than another.
Qatari Labor Minister Ali bin Samih Al Marri told AFP on Wednesday that the call for a new compensation fund for migrant workers was a “publicity stunt”.
He also accused some of the country’s critics of being “racist”.
“They don’t want to let a small country, an Arab country or an Islamic country host the World Cup,” Marri said.
