Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 12:16 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 12:21

Hendriks Graszoden from Heythuysen in Limburg will not supply grass for the World Cup in Qatar next year, the company has informed 1Limburg. Hendriks has been a supplier of the playing fields during final tournaments for years, but after seeing the circumstances in Qatar surrounding the construction of the stadiums, he decided to withdraw as a supplier. As far as is known, Hendriks is the first Dutch company that, for ethical reasons, does not unite with the organization of the world championship.

The poor conditions for construction workers is an important reason for Hendriks to abandon the assignment. “When it was announced in 2010 that Qatar could organize the 2022 World Cup, we were invited. We then introduced ourselves to the Olympic committee of Qatar and gave advice on how the grass can be optimal, ”says a spokesperson for the company in conversation with the Limburg broadcaster.

“But we saw how the stadiums were built there. Not all workers wore protective clothing. We did not like this attitude from the organization. You can see the difference between the residents of Qatar and the working people. The locals wear long white robes, while the workers look a lot less dignified. ” There has been a lot to do about the World Cup in recent weeks, after The Guardian According to government sources, the construction of the stadiums has so far claimed the lives of 6,500 migrant workers.

Hendriks is a leading player when it comes to supplying pitches for football stadiums. For example, the Limburg organization previously provided the playing fields at Ajax and Bayern Munich. The decision breaks a long tradition. The specialist previously supplied the fields for the 2006 World Cup and the 2008 and 2016 European Championships. “We are supported within our network and we are happy with that. We are also not afraid of retaliation from FIFA. If they were to criticize our decision, we would have heard that before. ”

The company’s decision leads to a lot of reactions on Twitter, among others, where the company is supported and people embrace the decision. “Good choice. See if the athletes also have the guts and care about the fate of others ”, is a reaction. “Applause for Hendriks Graszoden. As a decent company or person, you simply cannot participate in this. That the KNVB is just taking this as an example ”, someone else says. “A top company with principles, governments and football teams can learn something from that.”