IT IS “unconscionable” that the 2022 Qatar World Cup is being “built on the back of modern slavery,” the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) told the Star yesterday.

General secretary Sharan Burrow attacked Fifa and the oil-rich Gulf state days after the Dutch union federation FNV threatened football’s world governing body with legal action over the continued abuse of migrant workers in Qatar, in this particular case a 21-year-old Bangladeshi construction worker.

“Fifa has the power to insist on change and has chosen not to act,” Burrow told the Star. “There has been several years of failure by Fifa to stand up to its responsibilities and stand up to human rights.

“We are convinced that Qatar wants to keep the World Cup and the price of doing that is to bring its medieval labour laws into line with international standards.

“That means migrant workers have the rights to unionise. The oppressive kafala system of exit restrictions, the racially determined wage rages that are applied in Qatar, the appalling occupational health and safety conditions, those things can all be fixed — it’s just a matter of political will and Qatar actually making the financial allocations from its vast wealth to turn the situation around.”

Qatar are yet to abolish the kafala system, despite numerous calls from unions across the world, which sees workers forced to pay recruitment fees, having their passports confiscated, non-payment of wages as well as health and safety breaches.

“It is unconscionable that the World Cup is built on the back of modern slavery,” added Burrows. “This latest move from the Dutch trade union to take this to a legal level is a welcome move and serves to remind Fifa of its responsibility.

“Fifa is an extremely wealthy organisation, Qatar is an extremely wealthy country and some of the most exploited and poorest migrant workers in the world are being used in conditions of modern slavery to build a huge infrastructure of a World Cup.

“It is simply unconscionable and we urge Fifa to settle this individual case that has been brought by the FNV, to be open to working with Qatar to settle other outstanding grievances and contract claims and Fifa to use the leverage that it has to ensure that Qatar does make the changes that Qatar could easily make.”