{"id":1249955,"date":"2022-11-13T20:45:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-13T20:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/11\/13\/2022-wc-fernandes-not-happy-at-all-about-circumstances-in-qatar\/"},"modified":"2022-11-13T20:45:34","modified_gmt":"2022-11-13T20:45:34","slug":"2022-wc-fernandes-not-happy-at-all-about-circumstances-in-qatar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/11\/13\/2022-wc-fernandes-not-happy-at-all-about-circumstances-in-qatar\/","title":{"rendered":"2022 WC: Fernandes ‘not happy at all’ about circumstances in Qatar"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Bruno Fernandes says the World Cup should “be done in a better way”
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Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes is \u201cnot happy at all\u201d about the circumstances surrounding the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar.<\/p>\n

Fifa has requested the 32 teams to \u201cnow focus on the football\u201d and put politics to one side.<\/p>\n

Qatar has been criticised for its stance on same-sex relationships, human rights and treatment of migrant workers before the tournament.<\/p>\n

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Fernandes said the World Cup \u201cshould be done in a better way\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know the surroundings of the World Cup, what has been in the past few weeks, past few months, about the people that have died on the construction of the stadiums,\u201d the Manchester United midfielder told Sky Sports. \u201cWe are not happy about that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

In February 2021, the Guardian said 6,500 workers had died in Qatar since it was named the World Cup host nation, using data supplied by embassies in the Gulf country.<\/p>\n

However, the Qatar government said the total was misleading, because any of those who died would had been living and working in the country for several years and could have died from old age or other natural causes.<\/p>\n

It said official records show that between 2014 and 2020, there were 37 deaths among labourers at World Cup stadium construction sites, only three of which were \u201cwork-related\u201d.<\/p>\n

The International Labour Organisation said the figures were underestimated because Qatar doesn\u2019t count deaths from heart attacks and respiratory failure as work-related \u2013 even though these can result from working in high temperatures.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not exactly the time we want to be playing in the World Cup,\u201d Fernandes, 28, added. \u201cI think for everyone, players and fans, it\u2019s not the best time. Kids will be at school, people will be working and the timings will not be the best for people to watch the games.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want football to be for everyone. Everyone has to be included and involved in a World Cup because a World Cup is the world. It\u2019s for everyone, it doesn\u2019t matter who. These kind of things I think should not happen at any time.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut for a World Cup it\u2019s more than football, it\u2019s a party for fans, players, something that\u2019s a joy to watch, and should be done in a better way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fernandes\u2019 United team-mate, Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen, said he believes \u201cchange has to come from somewhere else\u201d rather than players.<\/p>\n

Denmark will wear \u201ctoned down\u201d shirts for the World Cup to protest against hosts Qatar, with kit provider Hummel designing a third, all-black kit, to represent the \u201ccolour of mourning\u201d.<\/p>\n

But Eriksen, also speaking after\u00a0United\u2019s 2-1 win at Fulham on Sunday, added: \u201cA lot has been written, there\u2019s a lot of focus on how it\u2019s happened and why it\u2019s in Qatar. I don\u2019t agree with how it\u2019s happened, but we\u2019re footballers and we play football.\u201d<\/p>\n

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