Friday 45 Sports Friday, September 20, 2019 Migrant workers still exploited in World Cup host Qatar: Amnesty

PARIS: Qatar is not fulfilling all its promises to hundreds of workers at three construction and improve the conditions of migrant workers in the cleaning companies in Qatar who went unpaid country in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup, for months. “Migrant workers often go to Qatar Amnesty International said yesterday. In a re- in the hope of giving their families a better life; port entitled “All Work, No Pay”, the rights instead many people return home penniless after group said: “Despite the significant promises of spending months chasing their wages, with too reform which Qatar has made ahead of the 2022 little help from the systems that are supposed to World Cup, it remains a playground for un- protect them,” said Stephen Cockburn, scrupulous employers.” Amnesty’s deputy director of global issues. The report came as French President Em- After coming under fire over the treatment of manuel Macron and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim migrant workers, Qatar agreed with the ILO in bin Hamad Al-Thani were due to meet in Paris. 2017 to undertake labor reforms, including es- Sheikh Tamim also attended Wednesday’s high- tablishing new dispute resolution committees. profile clash between Paris Saint-Germain — “We are urging the Qatari authorities to fully owned by Qatar’s state-owned investment fund deliver what has been promised and end the — and Real Madrid. Doha has made efforts shameful reality of labor exploitation,” Cockburn since being named World Cup hosts to improve said. Amnesty cited the case of a Kenyan em- the conditions of the migrant workers who make ployee of United Cleaning who said he had to up a majority of the Gulf emirate’s population. In November 2017, a temporary $200 rummage for food in garbage bins after receiv- monthly minimum wage was introduced for most ing no salary for five months. categories of workers with a permanent level The man said he had worked for two years expected to be set before the end of the year. and five months for the company without taking Exit visas granted at the discretion of employers, any holidays and was owed “a lot of money”. The required by some workers to leave the country, companies all cited financial difficulties for the DOHA: A Qatari football fan cheers for his team with a scarf showing the number 2022 for the upcoming should be entirely scrapped by the end of 2019 non-payment of wages, according to the report. FIFA World Cup, during world cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian cup China 2023 preliminary joint qualifi- according to the International Labor Organiza- A Qatar government spokesman said the coun- cation round 2 match between Qatar and India, at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. — AFP tion (ILO). try had “made substantial progress on labor re- forms”. “We continue to work with NGOs, ‘Too little help’ including the ILO, to ensure that these reforms statement. “Any issues or delays with our sys- have said, from the outset that this would take But Amnesty reported challenges faced by are far-reaching and effective,” he said in a tems will be addressed comprehensively. We time, resources and commitment.” — AFP

Iran does not recognize and its athletes usually re- Iran’s federation frain from facing Israeli opponents, whether by giving up the match or simply not participating, and are later praised by top officials. One of the most famous cases was Miresmaeili him- calls suspension ‘unfair’ self, a two-time judo world champion who showed up over- weight for his bout against an Israeli at the Olympics in Athens in 2004 and was disqualified. He was praised by Iran’s then- TEHRAN: Iran’s judo federation called its suspension from in- President Mohammad Khatami and the ultraconservative ternational competition “unfair” and said it “was a pre- media and eventually made his way to become the judo fed- planned scenario”, official news agency IRNA reported. “I eration’s chief. Miresmaeili told Iranian media at the time he believe that suspending Iran’s judo was a pre-planned sce- would refuse to fight an Israeli as a gesture of support for nario and unfortunately one of our athletes got involved and Palestine. intensified” the problem, IRNA quoted the head of Iran’s judo According to him, the current ban on the federation is “out- federation Arash Miresmaeili as saying on Wednesday. side the usual procedure” as the disciplinary committee re- The International Judo Federation (IJF) said earlier it viewing the case should have temporarily suspended Iran until banned Iran for allegedly ordering a judoka to lose at the reviews were complete and Iran had time to present its de- world championships to avoid facing an Israeli competitor. fense. “The letter we received today violated all these” con- Saeid Mollaei, who entered last month’s event in as the siderations, Miresmaeili said. Iran will “diplomatically follow reigning world champion in the -81kg class, said he was or- up” on the issue and hopes to win this “unequal war”, he dered to throw his semi-final rather than risk facing an Israeli added. The IJF specified the Iranian Judo Federation may ap- Al-Dabbous elected as in the final. Mollaei lost to Belgian who in turn peal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) new member of ATTF lost to Sagi Muki of Israel in the final. within 21 days. — AFP tends his career much further. “Pacquiao, I promoted him for many, By Abdellatif Sharaa Fight Mayweather or many years,” Arum told World Boxing News. “He’s an exception- ally good human being, really a fine guy, extraordinarily charitable KUWAIT: Chairman of the Board of Kuwait Table Tennis Federa- and a delight. “But he’s (almost) 41-years-old. And if you’re 41 you tion Ali Al-Dabbous was selected by the Asian Table Tennis Feder- retire, Arum tells Pacquiao can’t take punishment. You can’t take blows like he did in the Thur- ation (ATTF) general assembly as a complementary member of man fight. ATTF board until 2021 during a meeting that was held on the side- LOS ANGELES: Veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum believes “Sure, he won that fight - but he took a lot of punishment. That lines of the 24th Asian Championship. Al-Dabbous thanked the As- Manny Pacquiao should retire from the sport soon unless he can punishment is going to have a serious effect on how he lives the sembly members for their confidence, adding that this constitutes land a lucrative rematch with Floyd Mayweather. Arum, who pro- rest of is life.” Arum, who earlier this year said he feared Pacquiao a big responsibility that needs everyone to work as one team and moted Pacquiao during the Filipino icon’s golden years, told the risked brain damage before his fight with Thurman, said however take Asian Table Tennis to higher levels in all countries. He said that World Boxing News website he wanted to see the 40-year-old the Filipino should consider a rematch with Mayweather. May- he will work with board members and ATTF committees for the in- hang up his gloves soon. weather, who is now retired, defeated Pacquiao in their 2015 terest of the game in cooperation with all local federations equally. Pacquiao, who won a bruising 12-round battle with Keith Thur- “Fight of the Century” which largely failed to live up to the hype. Al-Dabbous said his selection by acclamation for the board of di- man to capture the WBA welterweight crown in July, has not “If he gets Mayweather, do that fight and retire,” said Arum. “If rectors represents a confidence in Kuwaiti athletes in general, and scheduled his next fight. But Arum said he believed Pacquiao, who he doesn’t get Mayweather he should retire. It’s not worth it for he hopes to represent Kuwaiti youth in the best way possible. turns 41 in December, would be risking lasting damage if he ex- him to continue boxing.” — AFP