Paris joins TV boycott of Qatar World Cup matches

PARIS (AP) — The city of Paris has decided not to show World Cup games on giant screens in public fan areas because of concerns about the rights abuses of migrant workers and the environmental impact of the tournament in Qatar. ,

It follows similar moves from other French cities.

“There is a problem of environmental impact,” Paris’s deputy mayor in charge of the sport, Pierre Rabdan, said on France Bleu Paris radio on Tuesday, citing “air-conditioned stadiums”.

“We must also question the circumstances in which these facilities were built,” he said.

The move comes as the city’s football club, Paris Saint-Germain, is owned by Qatar Sports Investments.

“We have a very constructive relationship with the club and its surroundings, but that doesn’t stop us from saying it when we disagree,” Rabadan said.

In protest against Qatar’s human rights record, many French cities are refusing to put up screens to show World Cup matches.

The gas-rich emirate has faced heavy criticism over the past decade for its treatment of migrant workers, mostly from South Asia, who need to build stadiums, metro lines, roads and hotels worth tens of billions of dollars.

Environmental activists across France have also supported the cancellation of public viewing in fan areas due to outdoor viewing from 20 November to 2 December. 19 The tournament will use up the energy that the country has stored up for the winter.

,

More AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports