Bayer Leverkusen says giving World Cup to Qatar was ‘scandalous’

Bayer Leverkusen grew to become the newest Bundesliga membership to criticize the World Cup in Qatar by describing the choice to award the event to the nation as “scandalous” on Tuesday.

“The World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar,” Leverkusen mentioned in a press release. “It was the least suitable of all applications for hosting a World Cup according to FIFA’s own audit reports. Out of eight new World Cup stadiums, seven were new-build projects. Football culture does not exist in Qatar. From our perspective, that is a knockout criterion for a potential World Cup host.”

Leverkusen’s assertion additionally referred to extensively reported problems with homophobia, the dearth of freedom of expression and denial of ladies’s rights plus the “unacceptable working conditions” endured by migrant staff in Qatar whereas serving to the nation get able to host the 32-team event.

“Questions ignored in the award of this tournament 12 years ago on the human rights situation, on equality and the freedom of expression in the host country will justifiably accompany this World Cup,” Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro mentioned. Carro, who can be a board member of the European Club Association, will go to Qatar in December for a board assembly to debate points raised. “We now need to work toward making the award criteria for a World Cup significantly more transparent in the future. I will campaign for that,” Carro mentioned.

The membership mentioned it would report on its gamers and their achievements on the World Cup. “We believe the players cannot be made responsible for the award of the competition to Qatar 12 years ago. Accordingly, they have our respect, our support,” Leverkusen mentioned.

League rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach and Hoffenheim beforehand criticized the event. Gladbach mentioned it would solely give it minimal protection of its personal gamers, whereas Hoffenheim mentioned it would skip protection in protest in opposition to the “human rights violations and discrimination against homosexuals in the autocratic Gulf state.” Fans held widespread protests in opposition to the event throughout German stadiums within the weeks main up the Bundesliga’s winter break.