World football governing body FIFA said on Friday it would look into human rights violations reported at its official World Cup partner hotel groups.

Human and labour rights charity Equidem and labour rights forum GLJ-ILRF had made startling revelations in a report published on Thursday.

They had said that they documented “significant labour and human rights violations at 13 out of 17 of FIFA partner hotel groups”.

The groups added that this was among migrant workers from Africa and Asia between February 2020 and July 2022.

The report said the employees spoke of “sexual harassment, nationality and gender-based discrimination, wage theft, health and safety risks, sudden loss of employment, and illegal recruitment charges.”

It said the workers feared deportation instigated by the employer if they stood up for their rights.

FIFA said it would look into the reports as part of its own audit programme and insisted it “does not accept any abuse of workers by companies involved in the preparation and delivery of the FIFA World Cup 2022.

“Hotels, as well as any other service provider associated with the FIFA World Cup, who fail to ratify issues identified through the FIFA…audit and inspection programme will have their contracts terminated,” it said.

FIFA said it has established a comprehensive due diligence programme over all aspects of the November 21 to December 18 tournament.

Host nation Qatar has been criticised for years over alleged human rights violations, mainly concerning migrant workers.

Local authorities have said that reforms have been carried out but rights groups have said that more needs to be done.

(dpa/NAN)