Qatar's ambassador to Germany, Abdulrahman Al-Khulaifi, has written to the German Football Federation (DFB) to "complain about its call for a timescale to be imposed on improving working conditions at construction sites for the 2022 World Cup," according to Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN. A recent Amnesty International report said that the Gulf State had "not taken credible steps required to tackle widespread labour exploitation." It added that this situation existed "a year after the systemic abuse of migrant workers hit the headlines around the world." Late last month, DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach said that FIFA should give Qatar a "specific period in which to either improve the human rights situation or face losing the right to host the 2022 World Cup." Al-Khulaifi wrote to the DFB, saying, "Your statement unfortunately creates the impression that we are making little to no progress in our reforms. That's not true." Niersbach said, "I have never spoken of an ultimatum. But I stand by my words -- it would be in the interest of Qatar if progress was to be reviewed to end the debate." Qatar 2022 World Cup Organizing Committee CEO Nasser Al-Khater played down the Amnesty report and said, "We have had no more deaths, and the living conditions [for workers] have improved." Qatar was backed by FIFA, which released a statement saying "that the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the subsequent international spotlight on Qatar is serving as a catalyst for social change" (ESPN, 12/11).
