Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1484591
10 NEWS World Cup 2022 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 NOVEMBER 2022 QATAR'S lavish stadiums built by the hands of migrant la- bourers will be the stage for the world's best football players as the World Cup gets underway. But in the run up to the World Cup, football has had to share the stage with criticism of the host nation's human rights re- cord. Beyond the football, there is also a story to be told on the blood, sweat and tears that went into building Qatar's World Cup infrastructure. Thousands of mi- grant workers from poor coun- tries toiled under extreme heat and in poor working conditions to build the stadiums. Indeed, some of the teams par- ticipating in the tournament will be staging their own 'protests' in a bid to raise awareness about migrant worker abuse and also Qatar's treatment of LGBTI+ persons. Denmark will be wearing toned down jerseys to protest the host nation's treatment of migrant workers and the country's hu- man rights record. England's captain Harry Kane and eight other skippers will be wearing a rainbow-colour- ed armband in support of the OneLove anti-discrimination Qatar 25 3.65 49.03 0.855 Ecuador 71 5.71 64.61 0.74 Senegal 68 5.53 63.07 0.511 Netherlands 97 8.88 77.93 0.941 England 93 8.1 78.71 0.929 Iran 14 1.95 23.22 0.774 USA 83 7.85 72.74 0.921 Wales 93 8.1 78.71 0.929 Argentina 84 6.81 77.28 0.842 Saudi Arabia 7 2.08 33.71 0.875 Mexico 60 5.57 47.57 0.758 Poland 81 6.8 65.64 0.876 France 89 7.99 78.53 0.903 Denmark 97 9.09 90.27 0.948 Tunisia 64 5.99 58.49 0.731 Australia 95 8.9 73.77 0.951 Spain 90 7.94 76.71 0.905 Germany 94 8.67 82.04 0.942 Japan 96 8.15 64.37 0.925 Costa Rica 91 8.07 85.92 0.809 Belgium 96 7.51 78.86 0.937 Canada 98 8.87 81.74 0.936 Morocco 37 5.04 45.42 0.683 Croatia 85 6.5 70.42 0.858 Brazil 73 6.86 55.36 0.754 Serbia 62 6.36 61.51 0.802 Switzerland 96 8.9 82.72 0.962 Cameroon 15 2.56 49.1 0.576 Portugal 95 7.82 87.07 0.866 Ghana 80 6.5 67.43 0.632 Uruguay 97 8.85 72.03 0.809 South Korea 83 8.16 72.11 0.925 Malta 89 7.57 61.55 0.918 Freedom House EIU Democracy Index RSF Press Freedom Index UN Human Development index COUNTRY Freedom House Global Freedom Scores /100 EIU Democracy Index /10 RSF Press Freedom Index/100 UN Human Development index/1 The Alternative World Cup Qatar's human rights record has been a burning issue in the run up to the World Cup. Kurt Sansone compiles an alternative ranking of the competing teams based on freedom, human rights and democracy Beyond the football, Denmark will win 'human rights' World Cup