The Int'l Labor Organization said that Qatar is "making progress toward ending forced labor and improving conditions for migrant workers," but the test will be whether it enforces new legislation from December. Qatar is building facilities to hold the 2022 World Cup and "has imported hundreds of thousands of construction workers for that purpose." A high-level ILO team that visited the "tiny Gulf state this month after persistent complaints from migrant workers" said that any decision to appoint an ILO commission of inquiry "should be put off for a year to allow time to implement the reforms" (REUTERS, 3/22).
WALES BANS WAGS: Wives, girlfriends and family members "will be banned" from Wales' team hotel during the early stages of its Euro 2016 campaign, Manager Chris Coleman said. The rule also applies to Coleman, so Sky Sports presenter Charlotte Coleman "will also not be allowed into their camp." Coleman said, "There will be no family, no girlfriends, no wives in our hotel in the first period of the group stage. We have three games in 10 days and there's no time" (BBC, 3/21).
FOOTBALL BRIEFS ...
Promising young footballers "are to be given a pathway to the Bundesliga," with semi-professional club Sydney Olympic on the cusp of a "historic youth development deal" with Bundesliga side Schalke. The German club "could soon be heavily involved in the development of some of Sydney's best young talent." Sydney Olympic will reportedly announce a partnership with the seven-time German champions "in a matter of weeks" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 3/22).
FA of Zambia President Kalusha Bwalya on Monday "conceded defeat and congratulated the winner of the election." Bwalya lost to business exec Andrew Kamanga in the FAZ elections held on Saturday night after polling 156 votes against 163 (XINHUA, 3/21).
