The French capital Paris has decided not to broadcast the 2022 World Cup matches on giant screens in public places due to “fears of violating the rights of migrant workers and the environmental impact” of the tournament in Qatar.
The actions of Paris take place against the backdrop of similar actions in other French cities.
“There is a problem with the environmental impact,” Pierre Rabadin, the deputy mayor of Paris for sports, told Radio France Bleu Paris on Tuesday, referring to “air-conditioned stadiums.”
“The conditions under which these facilities were built should also be questioned,” he added.
The move comes despite Qatar Sports Investments owning the Paris Saint-Germain football club.
In this regard, Rabadan said: “We have a very constructive relationship with the club (Paris Saint-Germain) and its owners, but that doesn’t stop us from criticizing when we disagree.”
Several French cities have refused to install screens to broadcast World Cup matches in Qatar in protest of Qatar’s “human rights record”.
In the past decade, Qatar has also come under fire for its alleged treatment of migrant workers, mostly from South Asia, who work on construction sites.
Source: AB