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Qatar has claimed that the working conditions and human rights situation in the Gulf state have improved, in the wake of a recent Amnesty International report which claimed otherwise. "We had no more deaths, and the living conditions [for workers] have improved," Nasser Al-Khater, the CEO of the 2022 World Cup organisation committee, told German sports weekly Sport Bild. Last week, Amnesty International released a report stating that the 2022 World Cup hosts have "not taken credible steps required to tackle widespread labour exploitation," and that while "Qatari officials have increasingly acknowledged the reality of abuses against migrant workers, and -- crucially -- that they need to address the issue" time is running out over "a year since the systemic abuse of migrant workers hit the headlines around the world." The report was published last Wednesday, in the same week in which a FIFA judge cleared Russia and Qatar of corruption in their winning bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. FIFA released a statement saying "that the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the subsequent international spotlight on Qatar is serving as a catalyst for social change, a view also shared by Amnesty International in its latest report." World football's governing body added that it will continue "to work closely with Qatar as the country starts to implement the concrete measures" of "working towards the ultimate goal of creating sustainable measures in relation to workers´ welfare standards in Qatar as soon as possible." In an interview with German weekly Sports Bild, Al-Khater said that Qatar is making steady progress in improving the working conditions and human rights in the Gulf state. "We've passed labour reforms this year, which are already in use such as the law that salaries are transferred at the beginning of every month," Al-Khater said. "There are more inspections on the working sites. And the state is building homes, training pitches and hospitals, with some of them already in use." Al-Khater also cited the inclusion of workers' welfare standards by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy -- the 2022 World Cup organisation committee. "Clear guidelines now protect the workers throughout the duration of their contract," he said. "And it has been a success so far. We had no more deaths, the living conditions have improved. The World Cup has a positive and accelerating effect on this process."
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