Money talks, and the money behind the World Cup is telling Qatar to get its act together. Locking up journalists may create an outcry, but the latest in the saga over labor conditions in Qatar could prove much harder to sweep under the rug.
FIFA-sponsors Coke, Visa and Adidas have all released statements in the last several days expressing concerns over the reports of high rates of deaths among migrant workers in Doha, the poor living conditions provided for some workers and the flouting of Qatari law regarding compensation and working conditions.
"We continue to be troubled by the reports coming out of Qatar related to the World Cup and migrant worker conditions," Visa said in a statement . "We have expressed our grave concern to FIFA, and urge them to take all necessary actions to work with the appropriate authorities and organizations to remedy this situation and ensure the health and safety of all involved.”
While Visa’s statement was direct and to the point, Adidas and Coke were slightly more conciliatory, recognizing that Doha and FIFA are working on the issue.
"There have been significant improvements and these efforts are ongoing, but everyone recognizes that more needs to be done in a collective effort with all stakeholders involved," Adidas said in a statement.
"We know FIFA is working with Qatari authorities to address questions regarding specific labor and human rights issues," Coke said in its statement. "We expect FIFA to continue taking these matters seriously and to work toward further progress.
"We welcome constructive dialogue on human rights issues, and we will continue to work with many individuals, human rights organizations, sports groups, government officials and others to develop solutions and foster greater respect for human rights in sports and elsewhere."
However, that progress isn't enough to satisfy rights campaigners, with Amnesty International releasing a report Thursday dismissing the changes that have been made so far.
"Without prompt action, the pledges Qatar made last year are at serious risk of being dismissed as a mere public relations stunt to ensure the Gulf state can cling on to the 2022 World Cup," the report said .
At the beginning of May, Qatar authorities said that the much derided “kafala” system of work permits – which tie workers to one employer and leave them without the ability to quit until the end of their contract – would be changed by the end of this year .
But with pressure growing by the day, it’s not clear if that timeline will be quick enough to end the controversy.