FIFA said on Friday it has prevailed in a legal challenge by trade unions who said the ruling football body should be liable for human rights violations at 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar.
FIFA said in a statement that a Commercial Court in Zurich rejected a case filed by trade unions in the Netherlands and Bangladesh, and a a Bangladeshi construction worker at a World Cup site.
The unions said that FIFA should have been held liable for abuses and should have not chosen Qatar in the first place without calling for a labour reform there.
But the court said it didn't accept the case for "formal reasons" because parts of the complaint - such as calling for new labour laws and courts in Qatar - was too vague or not legal.
FIFA said it "welcomes the decision," insisted it takes the human rights situation in Qatar "very seriously, and said that progress has been made in the area despite ongoing criticism from human rights and other groups on working conditions in the country.
"FIFA monitors the situation very closely and, as recently stated by President (Gianni) Infantino, will continue to urge the Qatari authorities to ensure safe and decent working conditions for construction workers," FIFA said.
