The logo of the 2022 World Cup, in Qatar, October 23, 2022.(Credit: Hamad I Mohammed/ Reuters)
The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Saturday condemned remarks by Germany's interior minister on the 2022 World Cup, set to be hosted in Doha.
On Friday, Qatar summoned its German ambassador to express dissatisfaction with comments made by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser that cast doubt on whether the Gulf state should host the major football event.
In an interview with the ARD network aired on Thursday, Faeser said Qatar's hosting of the World Cup was "very tricky" for Germany.
"There are criteria that must be adhered to and it would be better that tournaments are not awarded to such states," she added.
GCC head Nayef al-Hajraf expressed support for Qatar in a statement published Saturday on the council's website.
The six-member Gulf bloc backs Doha in "addressing any interference in its internal affairs by publishing allegations that do not serve the establishment of normal relations between the two countries," he said. "Qatar is heading toward making new successes, and hosting the 2022 World Cup is a source of deserved pride."
In a separate statement released ahead of Faeser's visit with the head of the German football federation Bernd Neuendorf, she said rights would be raised in talks.
"No World Cup takes place in a vacuum. Human rights always apply everywhere — and now the whole world is paying special attention," Faeser said.
This is the first time Qatar has summoned a foreign ambassador over such comments. Qatar has come under increased scrutiny over its treatment of foreign laborers and human rights record since it earned the right to host the World Cup.
The country has highlighted widespread reforms to its labor and industrial safety record in recent years that have been hailed by international labor unions.