Qatar 2022: FIFA cancels visit because emirate to publish report and announce reforms

Theo Zwanziger has cancelled a visit to Qatar that had been planned for mid-May, he announced on 11/05/2014. Zwanziger is a member of the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) executive committee and has been tapped by Joseph Blatter, FIFA president, to coordinate discussions on labour law in Qatar.

His visit, which had been discussed at the last meeting of the FIFA executive committee in Zurich (SUI), on 20 and 21/03/2014, might coincide with the release -- undoubtedly on 14/05/2014 -- by Qatar of a report on its working conditions, which might be accompanied by "great reforms".

"Qatar has placed a priority on publishing this highly qualified report and commenting on it," said Theo Zwanziger, former president of the DFB (German Football Association). "A FIFA visit beforehand wouldn't make any sense."

Qatar "has committed, morally and as a matter of principle, in the protection of labour rights", said the Qatari minister of labour and social affairs Abdullah Al-Khulaifi on 01/05/2014 in Doha. The ministry announced that the wages of foreign workers should, in the…