Over 6,500 migrant workers have died since the beginning of the construction of stadiums for one of the worlds' largest sports tournament, government sources reveal.
In a study finalised by The Guardian, shocking statistics were discovered regarding the sheer volume of deaths as well as the attributed causes of death for the workers. Over 60% of deaths are considered to be "natural deaths" out of the 2 million strong workforce. These natural causes are said to include heart and respiratory issues. The Qatari government claims that the proportion of deaths in the workforce is normal, although some critics, such as Amnesty International, labelled the tournament the 'ugly side of the beautiful game' back in 2016. Further analysis of workers' conditions also found that they are living in slum-like conditions, which contribute to the spread of diseases in the accommodation. All of this travesty for Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Nepalese, and Sri Lankan migrant workers is topped off by the fact that their salaries are often false advertised by the construction companies. This is so migrant workers are enticed over from their home country to work in Qatar, only to find that they have been mislead by recruitment agencies. To add further insult to injury, the actual salaries paid to the migrant workers is just $206-a-month, with most of the workers not being paid for months anyway.
The lack of safety regulations for the workers, as well as the immense heat and long hours that workers are subjected to are the actual reason for workers' deaths. It has also been reported that some cohorts of the workforce are being forced to work in Qatar as their passports can not be renewed until the work is finished. This is a tactic used by the Qatari government to keep a large quantity of workers in the country.
There are also further concerns being raised by the LGBTQ+ community, as they would not feel safe travelling to a country that has discriminatory laws against them. Sepp Blatter even advised travelling fans from the LGBTQ+ community to 'refrain from sexual activities' whilst at the World Cup back in 2010 (The Guardian).
My Side, Flipped.
This tournament, however you may view it, is an obvious cash grab by FIFA and is quite simply a disgusting example of corruption. It's been reported that FIFA will make somewhere in the region of £3bn from advertisers, ticket fees and TV broadcasting rights.
A few months ago, the talk was about the European Super League and its controversial endeavours, with almost everyone disagreeing with the sentiment, including myself. The alternative, it seems, is no better, with exploitation at the top of FIFA's agenda in order for them to reap the extortionate benefits of a global event such as the World Cup.
Teams like Germany have already voiced their huge concerns over the human rights debacle in Qatar, with their protest in the form of T-Shirts saying "HUMAN RIGHTS" in bold. There is not enough conversation about the disgraceful lack of duty of care shown by FIFA and the Qatari government, which there needs to be if this tournament can go ahead. If nothing changes, then I'm not sure I can commit to watching such a nepotistic event.
Comments