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A week since the Socceroos called out Qatar's human rights record Qatar's Foreign Minister has labelled any nation protesting the World Cup being held there "hypocrites".
Key points:
- Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs says there are "still flaws" but says protests over human rights is a "double standard"
- The Socceroos and other teams called on Qatar to decriminalise same-sex relationships and protect migrant workers
- FIFA bosses are urging players to not be "dragged into" ideological and political "battles"
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said those calling for a boycott of the event were from a handful of countries which did not represent the rest of the world.
His comments followed pleas from FIFA to World Cup teams urging them to "focus on football" amid controversy.
Qatar is the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup but has come under intense pressure in recent years for its treatment of foreign workers and restrictive social laws.
The nation's human rights record led to calls for teams and officials to boycott the tournament later this month, but Sheikh Mohammed said they held no water as tickets were almost sold out.
"The reasons given for boycotting the World Cup do not add up. There is a lot of hypocrisy in these attacks, which ignore all that we have achieved," Sheikh Mohammed told Le Monde.
"They are being peddled by a very small number of people, in 10 countries at most, who are not at all representative of the rest of the world. It is frankly unfortunate.
"The reality is that the world is looking forward to this celebration. Over 97 per cent of the tickets have been sold."
Several participating teams including Australia, England, Denmark and the Netherlands have highlighted the plight of migrant workers in Qatar.
The Socceroos also released a three-and-a-half minute video message featuring players calling on Qatar to decriminalise same-sex relationships and establish a migrant resource centre.
After years of pressure from human rights groups, Qatar changed its labour laws to dismantle much of its "kafala" sponsorship system, absolving workers of the need to get the permission of the employer who sponsored their visa in order to change jobs or leave the country.
Last year, Qatar's government denied claims in a report by human rights organisation Amnesty International that thousands of migrant workers were being trapped and exploited.
Sheikh Mohammed admitted "there are still flaws" they are attempting to fix but also accused countries of having "double standards".
"Why do we systematically blame our government for these problems, whereas in Europe, the slightest incident is blamed on the company?" he said.
"I think there are some people who don't accept that a small country in the Middle East is hosting such a global event."
'Let's now focus on football'
A letter from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the governing body's Secretary General Fatma Samoura has urged players to avoid being dragged into ideological or political "battles".
"Please, let's now focus on the football!" Sky News quoted Mr Infantino and Ms Samoura as saying in the letter to the 32 nations contesting the World Cup.
"We know football does not live in a vacuum and we are equally aware that there are many challenges and difficulties of a political nature all around the world.
"But please do not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists."
FIFA was unable to provide immediate comment when contacted by Reuters.
The letter has since been condemned by human rights group Amnesty International.
"If Gianni Infantino wants the world to 'focus on the football' there is a simple solution: FIFA could finally start tackling the serious human rights issues rather than brushing them under the carpet," Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International's Head of Economic and Social Justice, said in a statement.
Amnesty and other rights groups have led calls for FIFA to compensate migrant workers in Qatar for human rights abuses by setting aside $US440 million ($680.79 million), matching the World Cup prizemoney.
"A first step would be publicly committing to the establishment of a fund to compensate migrant workers before the tournament kicks off and ensuring that LGBT people do not face discrimination or harassment," Mr Cockburn added.
"It is astonishing they still have not done so. Gianni Infantino is right to say that 'football does not exist in a vacuum'.
"Hundreds of thousands of workers have faced abuses to make this tournament possible and their rights cannot be forgotten or dismissed.
"They deserve justice and compensation, not empty words, and time is running out."
Reuters