BERLIN, Nov 13: Seven days before the World Cup is due to start in Qatar, former Germany captain Philipp Lahm says it was “a mistake” to award the tournament to the Gulf Arab country.
Lahm, who is head of Germany’s organizing committee for the 2024 European Championship, wrote Sunday in a column for Zeit Online that the World Cup “does not belong” in Qatar and he criticized the human rights situation in the nation. Lahm acknowledged some progress “but homosexuals are still being criminalized, women do not have the same rights as men, and there are restrictions on freedom of the press and expression.” He added that conditions for migrant workers are “devastating.”
Lahm, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, slammed FIFA for awarding the tournament to Qatar in 2010. “FIFA has damaged football and its credibility as a western organization,” said Lahm, who questioned Qatar’s enthusiasm for the sport.
“Football isn’t a popular sport in Qatar and there’s practically no opportunity for girls to play,” said Lahm. (AP)