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Female workers who produce Fifa merchandise for events such as the Women’s World Cup have endured pay below minimum wage, verbal abuse, unpaid overtime and threats of job loss if they fall pregnant, according to a new report by human rights researcher Equidem. Equidem has criticised Fifa for not taking action on a situation that seems to go against the advances the tournament has been responsible for, and president Gianni Infantino has been urged to extend “that progress to addressing the harms its women workers experience”. Equidem has put its report into the context of the litany of migrant labour abuses that occurred due to the men’s World Cup in Qatar and asked why there has been no update from a human rights subcommittee that was supposed to be set up to assess the legacy of that event, raising questions about Fifa’s expressed commitment to improving working conditions. The report features interviews with women workers in factories in Bangladesh that make official merchandise for Fifa events, and involves distressing testimonies including verbal abuse and the illegal denial of worksite childcare and maternity leave. Equidem heard several stories of women denied freedom of association. “We have a daily target to reach,” one worker said. “The supervisor fixes our daily target. I make 60-80 pieces per hour. I can only go to the restroom after finishing my hourly target. When a lot of work piles up, they don’t let us go anywhere. They verbally abuse us. I work for 10-12 hours a day at my sewing machine. Today, my supervisor told me to give 80 pieces per hour, but it was quite difficult to make 80 pieces. I made 60 pieces per hour. He shouted at me several times. “I can’t keep my son with me. I work between eight and 12 hours every day. Who will look after him? I searched for someone to leave my son with when I went to work, but I did not get anyone. We don’t have a childcare room in our factory. My son lives in Dhaka with my mother-in law and father-in-law.” Workers described a common practice of being told they would lose their jobs if they became pregnant during the first two years of employment. One woman employed as a sewing machine operator explained: “When I started working here, the factory doctor told me not to have babies for the first two years. I was told that after completing two years, I can have children. If I get pregnant before that, I will have to resign. They will not give me any leave.” Some workers spoken to by Equidem reported that they did not get paid any maternity leave at all, even though they are supposed to be legally entitled to four months, making it a clear violation of Bangladeshi law. Equidem’s CEO Mustafa Qadri states: “After the Men’s World Cup this past year in Qatar, FIFA pledged to set up a human rights subcommittee that would assess the legacy of the 2022 tournament, although there has been no further update as to the status of that assessment, nor its learnings. Equidem urges FIFA to extend its expressed commitment to improving working conditions to women workers in their apparel supply chains. "Yet, the world has seen significant advances in pay parity for women players, including making the Women’s World Cup more professional, ensuring equal regulations and conditions, and fair distribution of prize money to players. The United States team, after years of negotiations, public battles, and court filing won an equal pay deal that makes them one of the best-paid national teams in the world. "The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 brings with it many positive improvements for its players, and it is crucial that FIFA extends that progress to addressing the harms its women workers experience. FIFA has the power, money, and resource to address this at the systemic level, and we will keep monitoring their global supply chains until it does. “This movement toward gender parity within FIFA, signals a heightened commitment within the organisation to fair conditions for women players—on par with their male counterparts. This should extend to all women, not just those under the stadium lights.” A Fifa spokesperson said: “FIFA has stringent labour rights requirements for companies producing FIFA-licensed goods and takes any allegation of labour rights abuse in its supply chain very seriously. FIFA is in contact with both Equidem and the respective companies to further investigate the matter.” Read More Fifa urged to make human rights key consideration for World Cup 2030 host ‘Matter of when not whether’ UK hosts Women’s World Cup – sports minister Kevin De Bruyne says new approach to added time ‘doesn’t make any sense’ How much added time? Football’s new guidelines and the impact they will have Raphael Varane says players’ opinions ignored over ‘damaging’ new guidelines

Manchester United remain in talks to sign defender Jonny Evans on a permanent basis despite the collapse of Harry Maguire’s proposed move to West Ham. Evans, 35, joined on a short-term deal to cover United’s pre-season fixtures in July, but that contract has now expired. Erik ten Hag has revealed talks are ongoing with the United academy product, who watched Monday’s 1-0 win over Wolves from the director’s box at Old Trafford. “In this moment, he is not (under contract) but we are talking,” Ten Hag said. “We will see. We are in talks and when we have news we will bring it.” United’s pursuit of the Northern Ireland international, who left Old Trafford for West Brom in 2015 and became a free agent this summer when his contract with relegated Leicester expired, has continued even though Maguire now appears set to stay at the club. United accepted a £30million offer from West Ham for their former captain last week, but that move stalled with Maguire wanting to stay and fight for his place. Ten Hag offered the 30-year-old some encouragement when asked what he needed to do to get back into the side. “I am happy he is here, we need a good squad,” the Dutchman said. “We have four good centre halves and including Luke Shaw we have five, and we need it because we are going to play 50-60 games this season. All the players are internationals so we have a lot of load to cover. “I am happy Harry Maguire is here. He is going to have to fight for his position as does everyone in the squad. “He knows what I expect from him, what I expect from a centre-half. He can do it, he has the abilities to do it so now he has to show it. It is about character, to be convinced to play that role, he has all the abilities to do it.” There was one concern in defence on Monday night with Lisandro Martinez forced off at half-time, replaced by Victor Lindelof, but the Argentinian has trained this week and Ten Hag expects him to be available for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham. United have spent big this summer to sign England midfielder Mason Mount, Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund and Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana. Ten Hag said he was happy with how his squad now looks, but did not rule out further moves in the final weeks of the transfer window. “Our squad is covered, all the positions are covered, but of course we are Manchester United, we are always looking for improvement…” he said. “With this squad I am convinced we can go for our targets.” This week United issued a club statement regarding the internal investigation into Mason Greenwood, who has been suspended by United since January 30, 2022, over allegations relating to a young woman after images and videos were posted online. Greenwood was facing charges including attempted rape and assault until the Crown Prosecution Service announced six months ago that the case had been discontinued. Following reports that United are preparing to bring the academy graduate back into the first-team set-up, the club statement said no decision had yet been made. The issue has divided a number of fans, with some protests against Greenwood’s potential return seen at Old Trafford on Monday night. Ten Hag said the issue was not affecting him or his team with the season now under way. “We focus on the way of playing, we focus on the team performance. It is about the players who are available so we focus on Tottenham,” he said. “Every start to the season is difficult. “We know the performance (against Wolves) was not what we hoped but we won. We showed the character and the personality.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Alessia Russo: Playing in the World Cup final is a real ‘pinch me’ moment Warren Gatland impressed by competition for World Cup places in Wales squad James Ryan says Ireland’s clash with England ‘has never been a warm-up game’

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