NETHERLANDS COACH LOUIS VAN GAAL HITS OUT AT FIFA OVER STAGING WORLD CUP IN QATAR
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal says it is ridiculous that this year’s World Cup is being played in Qatar, accusing FIFA of taking the tournament to the Middle East for money and commercial reasons. Van Gaal said FIFA’s reasons for awarding the finals to Qatar, where his side will be competing in the November and December finals, were spurious. Former Manchester United manager Van Gaal said he is part of a commission within the Dutch FA which meets every month to evaluate the ongoing situation in Qatar with regards to human rights.
The Dutch FA has been among the few football associations to criticise human rights and working conditions in Qatar. Recall that, Qatar has faced international scrutiny over the treatment of workers ever since it won the rights in 2010 to host the first World Cup in the Middle East. But Qatar has said the reported deaths were within the expected range for the size and demographics of the population of the workers concerned, and that the mortality rate had consistently declined since 2010 due to health and safety reforms.
