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FIFA has been told that, unless it remedies the alleged human-rights abuses in Qatar ahead of the World Cup, then soccer will be "forever stained" by the tournament being played there.
There has been consternation around the globe since the Gulf state was awarded the World Cup, and the building of the stadia has led to thousands of migrants facing human-rights abuses and even death over the past decade or more, according to Amnesty International.
With the kickoff of the tournament just days away, FIFA has been asked to "learn from its past mistakes" and announce plans to make right any complaints made workers since Qatar was awarded the World Cup finals in 2010.
Ella Knight, migrants' labor rights researcher at Amnesty International, told Newsweek there was still a mountain of concerns with the tournament due to start on Sunday.
She said: "The systematic abuse and exploitation of migrant workers who delivered this World Cup for Qatar over the last 12 years has undoubtedly tarnished the tournament in the eyes of many football fans.
"While both Qatar and FIFA have made some important reforms, both have a long way to go to fully meet their respective human-rights obligations and responsibilities."
Knight added: "Crucially, if [Gianni] Infantino [the FIFA president] wants to avoid this World Cup forever being stained by stolen wages, illegal recruitment fees, injuries and lost lives, he needs to urgently commit FIFA to remedying abuses connected to the tournament.
"This won't erase the harms, but it would go some way to helping workers and their families rebuild their futures. It would also demonstrate that FIFA is beginning to learn from its past mistakes.
"This is not only the right and responsible thing to do, but also has huge support from the football-watching public around the world."
This is not the first time that Amnesty International has called out FIFA over the treatment of migrant workers. Steve Cockburn, the charity's head of economic and social justice, had previously told Newsweek that there was more work to be done before Qatar can claim that it has done right by the workers.
Cockburn said: "Although Qatar has made important strides on labor rights over the past five years, it's abundantly clear that there is a great distance still to go. Thousands of workers remain stuck in the familiar cycle of exploitation and abuse, thanks to legal loopholes and inadequate enforcement.
"With the World Cup looming, the job of protecting migrant workers from exploitation is only half-done, while that of compensating those who have suffered abuses has barely started.
"It's also imperative that Qatar commits to improving conditions in the long term. Progress must not grind to a halt once the World Cup roadshow leaves Doha."
Cockburn continued: "Despite huge and growing support in favour of compensating migrant workers among fans, football associations, and sponsors, Qatar and FIFA are still not budging. With only a month to go, time is fast running out for them to do the right thing.
"Turning a blind eye to the abuses suffered by thousands of migrant workers over the years flies in the face of their respective international obligations and responsibilities. They must come together to ensure that those who suffered so much to make this tournament possible are not left behind," Cockburn said.
A source at the Qatari government with knowledge of information from inside the Gulf state has told Newsweek: "A recent study by [UN agency] the International Labour Organization (ILO) recorded 50 work-related deaths across the entire country in 2020, a fraction of the figures reported in the media."
There had been reports of 6,500 deaths, a figure that Qatar's authorities have disputed.
The source told Newsweek: "When considered within the wider demographics and size of the population, the figures are within the expected range, and there has been a consistent decline in Qatar's mortality rate because of our region-leading health and safety programs."
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