Despite calls for the country to boycott Qatar 2022, a majority vote has seen Norwegian clubs reject the proposal to withdraw
Representatives of Norway’s football clubs have voted against the country boycotting the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
Calls for the Norwegian national side to withdraw from the tournament gathered momentum quickly earlier this year after Eliteserien side Tromsø Idrettslag released a statement condemning Qatar’s human rights record and treatment of migrant workers.
Tromsø’s stance quickly gained the support of other Norwegian clubs and even saw their national side – and those of other countries – stage t-shirt protests during March’s international break.
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An extraordinary meeting was also called – held on Sunday – by the Norwegian FA (NFF). 368 delegates at the meeting voted in favour of rejecting the boycott, while 121 were in favour.
Norway’s national side have failed to qualify for a World Cup since France 1998, and currently sit fourth in their qualifying group. Although they now intend to play in the tournament, there is a very real possibility they will fall short on the pitch, irrespective of Sunday’s vote.
“There is no doubt that this World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar,” Tom Hogli, a former Norwegian international turned public relations officer for Tromso, told AFP earlier this year.
“The conditions there are abominable and many have lost their lives,” he added.
