Scottish Football Association defends Qatar friendly

The Scottish Football Association has released a statement defending Scotland's friendly match against Qatar on Friday.

It has been criticised for agreeing to the match due to reports of poor conditions for workers building 2022 World Cup stadiums.

"It is important to separate this sporting fixture from the serious human rights issues emanating from Qatar," said an SFA statement.

"As noted recently by Amnesty International, it is important that the universal reach of football can be used in a positive manner to highlight inequalities and be a force for good," continued the statement.

"Qatar's availability in the United Kingdom represented an opportunity preferable to the few available alternatives on a date that is not on the official Fifa international calendar."

Scotland are playing the friendly as part of their preparation for the European Championship qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland on June 13.