Sports Minister Helder heads to Qatar for the World Cup on behalf of the cabinet

Medical Care and Sports Minister Conny Helder will attend a World Cup match in Qatar on behalf of the cabinet. Insiders confirm this to NOS after receiving a report from RTL Nieuws. The plan must be formally approved by the Council of Ministers tomorrow.

It is not yet clear whether Prime Minister Rutte or King Willem-Alexander will make it to the World Cup next, but that option is being kept open. If the Dutch team continues to progress in the World Cup, Rutte or the king can still travel.

Earlier, the cabinet had announced that it would “send a government delegation to promote the Dutch national team in comparable major sporting events as usual”. This is despite a parliamentary motion that stipulates that no government representatives should be allowed to travel to the World Cup, which begins on November 20.

Minister Hoekstra said in a letter that the cabinet is “considering this request”. The decision to leave, however, was made after consultation with international partners and human rights organisations. According to Hoekstra, consultations are also being held with Qatar on the human rights situation and other EU countries are planning to go with an official delegation.

The Belgian government had previously announced that the Belgian king or a minister would travel to Qatar only if the Red Devils made it to the semi-finals.

human rights violation

The delegation is a sensitive issue due to human rights violations in Qatar. Hundreds, possibly even thousands, of migrant workers died due to poor conditions during the World Cup construction work, according to human rights organizations. Both Qatar itself and the world football federation FIFA mention three deaths during the construction of World Cup stadiums.

Calls for a boycott of the World Cup in Qatar have been heard for months, but the Netherlands does not. Why not, we explain in this sports explainer:

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