Hamilton criticizes Qatar for human rights violations before F1 in the country

In Doha, on the eve of the Qatar GP, at 11:00 am this Sunday (21), the Englishman Lewis Hamilton asked that allegations of violations of human rights in the country and in Saudi Arabia be investigated. This last nation will host the race on December 5th.

Qatar is on the way to hosting the 2022 World Cup. Since construction work for the event began, the country has been denounced for mistreatment and slave labor, which would have even led to the deaths of some workers.

“We are aware that there are problems in these places [Qatar e Arábia Saudita] where are we going. But of course [o Qatar] seems to be considered one of the worst in this part of the world,” Hamilton said in an interview.

“When sportspeople go to these places, they have a duty to bring these issues into focus. These places need scrutiny. Equal rights are a serious issue.”

According to sheet published this Friday (19), almost a year before the start of the World Cup, the local government and FIFA have been trying to show a change in the image of exploitation of workers.

Saudi Arabia, under the monarchy of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, lives with accusations of persecution of opponents of the regime. Among them, the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the government, murdered and dismembered inside the country’s embassy in Istanbul in 2018.

In the fight for his eighth F1 title, Hamilton is asking other sports personalities to also express themselves. “We need to give visibility to these situations. One person can make a difference, but the collective has a greater impact. I would like more athletes to talk about these issues”, says the Mercedes driver.

Just like FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the F1 boss, the Italian Stefano Domenicali, avoided polemics in an interview with the BBC. For him, the simple fact of the modality going to these countries will help in changes.

“Such a big change cannot happen overnight, it takes time”, says the Executive.

The start of the Qatar GP, the second-to-last one this season, will be this Sunday, at 11am. Dutchman Max Verstappen, from Red Bull, leads the championship with 332.5 points. Hamilton, at 318.5, will try to catch up.