Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, says he is the “wrong person” to address concerns over Qatar’s human rights record.
Liverpool is in Qatar for their Club World Cup semi-final with the Mexican side, Monterrey on Wednesday.
Concerns have been expressed in this country hosting the event and the 2022 World Cup. The country is said to be in a stance on homosexuality and immigrant workers’ rights among other issues.
“Organizers have to think about these things. Not the athletes.” Said Klopp.
“When sportsmen have to decide to be part of a competition, it’s not right.” He added.
According to the International Trades Union Confederation in 2013, more than 1,200 workers from Nepal and India had died on construction projects in Qatar linked to the World Cup.
Thereafter, the ITUC said at that time said, if deaths continued at that rate, then they could reach 4,000. Although right now, it has dropped its complaints against Qatar following improvements in workers’ rights in the country.
Nonetheless, Qatar has always never agreed with these figures. They said the deaths cannot be linked directly to the World Cup.
Amnesty International in February said, although progress has been made, Qatar “must step up efforts to honor labor rights promises” before the beginning of the World Cup in 2022.
“I have an opinion on football but this is a really serious thing to talk about. The answers should come from people who know more about it.” Said Klopp.
“I have to be influential in football and not politics. Anything I say wouldn’t help. It would just create another headline, positive or negative.”
“I like that you asked the question but I think I am the wrong person.”
“My personal opinion, I have one, of course, I think we should all be treated equally. That is clear.”
“But we don’t have the time to judge things when we are here. We only have time for training.”