Macron urges Qatar to ‘continue’ changes on the sidelines of the World Cup

An encouraging message in anticipation of a possible trip if the French players make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup. French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday urged Qatar to “continue” the changes he sees as evidenced by the gas emirate’s World Cup. “This World Cup, hosted for the first time in the Arab world, testifies to the concrete changes taking place in the country. Qatar has embarked on this path and must continue. He can count on our support,” the head of state wrote during the break in the France-Denmark match, won 2-1 thanks to a brace by Kylian Mbappe.

Qatar, which has been heavily criticized for the deaths, accidents and non-payment of wages to these foreign workers, has implemented major reforms to improve worker safety and punish recalcitrant employers.

Don’t “politicize sports”

The authorities have also paid hundreds of millions of euros to compensate for unpaid salaries, but for human rights associations these reforms are too late and not enough. On November 17, on the eve of the start of the competition, Emmanuel Macron considered that there was no need to “politicize sports”.

On Friday, Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne, for her part, felt that the fact that the players were talking about values ​​was “a good thing”, “as long as the rules of the tournament are respected”. She did not want to comment on the gesture of the German team, which, after the International Football Federation banned the armband in favor of sexual diversity, posed for an official photo on Wednesday with a hand covering her mouth in a mock gag.

This gesture clearly turned against FIFA, just before Mannshaft’s match against Japan. At the gallery, German Interior Minister Nancy Faezer wore the One Love armband along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.