Qatar World Cup chief bites back after criticism from Norwegian FA

Dispute over the legacy of staging the men’s World Cup in Qatar broke out on the floor of the Fifa Congress on Thursday, with the president of the Norwegian Football Federation calling for stronger action, only for the head of Qatar’s Supreme Committee to insist she “educate” herself over the issues.

In a tightly managed set-piece event in Doha before Friday’s World Cup draw, Lise Klaveness’s address upset the consensus when she said Fifa must act as a “role model” and called on the organisation to do more to support the families of migrant workers who had been killed and those injured working on the World Cup project.

“Our game can inspire dreams and break down barriers but as leaders we must do it right and to the highest standards,” said Klaveness, a former Norway international. “We cannot ignore the calls for change and how Fifa runs the game has so much to say for how the game is perceived. Fifa must act as a role model.

“In 2010 World Cups were awarded by Fifa in unacceptable ways with unacceptable consequences. Human rights, equality and democracy – the core interests of football – were not in the starting XI. These basic rights were pressured on to the field as substitutes, mainly by outside voices. Fifa has addressed these issues but there is still a long way to go.”

Klaveness went on to call for specific reforms. “Migrant workers injured or families of those who died in the buildup to the World Cup must be cared for,” she said. “Fifa, all of us, must take all measures to implement change. It is vital that the current leadership continue wholeheartedly in this way. There is no room for employers that do not secure the safety of workers, no room for hosts who cannot host the women’s game, who cannot legally