The statement came from a member of the European Football Association (UEFA) working group on human and labor rights, and was published in NFF website.

It came in reaction to an International Football Association (FIFA) letter sent earlier this week. In the letter, FIFA, among other things, urged participating countries to “focus on football”, instead of challenging Qatar over alleged human rights abuses.

– The letter we received from FIFA was very disappointing, but although I am not surprised, we reacted strongly. “We are not alone in that, many other confederations at UEFA have reacted to the tone of the letter, and how FIFA is leading and responding to its members in such a serious matter,” said football president Lise Klaveness.

In a statement from the confederation, they responded to the letter before WC starts in two weeks. There they mentioned that there were still two major unsolved problems. This concerns the compensation fund for the injured and abandoned in connection with the construction of infrastructure prior to the championships, as well as a migrant worker center in Doha.

“We recognize that Qatar has made significant progress, particularly with regard to the rights of migrant workers,” the letter said. “We will continue to work to get to the bottom of the two main issues we have discussed with FIFA for a long time.”

“We believe in the power of football to create positive change in the world,” he said at the end.

The letter was signed by the confederations of Norway, Belgium, Denmark, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales.