The FAI have been urged to speak out over migrant worker human rights abuses linked to the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
League of Ireland club Bohemians and Amnesty Ireland have asked the football association to leverage their position and encourage FIFA to take urgent action on the matter.
A study reports that at least 6,500 workers have died since the nation was awarded the World Cup a decade ago.
Stephen Kenny's side take on Qatar later this evening, and the Ireland boss said that he won't stand in the way of players wishing to follow other teams and protest.
And Bohs and Amnesty Ireland say that the FAI have a responsibility to act to prevent human rights abuses.
"Football fans and players should be able to take part and enjoy the World Cup, confident that the migrant workers who made the World Cup possible are not victims of human rights abuses,” said Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland.
“The FAI have a responsibility under international human rights standards to use their leverage to prevent human rights abuses that they are linked to. So we're calling on the FAI to use the spotlight of the World Cup to come out publicly in support of the human rights of the workers, and to urge FIFA to take urgent action.
“After years of pressure, the Qatari government committed in 2017 to reforming its abusive kafala sponsorship system, amongst other major promises of change. But these reforms are fragile and are facing backlash, so this is a critical moment.
"We need the international pressure to continue to build and the FAI have a clear role in that.”
Bohemians Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert added: “Workers’ rights are human rights, and we want to show solidarity with the people who’ve built the very stadiums that enable this World Cup to take place,” said Daniel Lambert, Chief Operating Officer for Bohemian FC.
“We are calling on the FAI to use their leverage with FIFA and Qatar, and speak out to try and achieve real, long-lasting change for migrant workers. We and our supporters want the legacy of the World Cup 2022 to be a positive one, not one where people are being horrifically exploited.
“We know that football can be a force for great good, let’s grasp this opportunity to demonstrate this on our biggest stage, the World Cup.”
