Suspicions That Over 6,500 Migrant Workers Died Preparing for the World Cup
10 Teams Including England and Wales Publicly Oppose FIFA Letter Demanding 'Focus Solely on Football'
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Sung-wook] With the opening of the 2022 Qatar World Cup just two weeks away, the issue of human rights in Qatar continues to be controversial. After it was revealed that the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) sent letters to participating countries asking them to "focus only on football" instead of human rights issues, football associations from 10 European teams, including England, issued a joint statement in protest.
On the 6th (local time), football associations from 10 European teams called for improvements in the human rights conditions of migrant workers in Qatar. The statement was signed by Mark Bullingham, CEO of the Football Association (FA), and Noel Mooney, chairman of the Football Association of Wales, with participation from Denmark, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Earlier, as concerns about the human rights of migrant workers who contributed to the infrastructure construction for the Qatar World Cup arose, FIFA sent a letter on the 4th to the 32 participating countries stating, "Football should not be involved in ideological or political struggles." At the same time, it added, "We strive to respect all opinions and beliefs. One of the greatest strengths of the world is diversity," and "No individual, culture, or country can be considered superior to others, and this principle is the cornerstone of mutual respect and a culture free of discrimination, which is one of football's core values."
The statement from the 10 European football associations was issued in opposition to FIFA's claims. They acknowledged that "significant progress has been made regarding the rights of migrant workers in Qatar." They also stated that safety and security measures have been implemented for all fans, including sexual minorities, who traveled to watch the World Cup. However, they emphasized that "embracing diversity and tolerance is synonymous with supporting human rights," and "human rights are universal and apply everywhere." They further stressed, "We believe football has the power to make a more positive and trustworthy contribution to sustainable global change."
Qatar has been embroiled in controversy over allegations of exploiting migrant workers during the World Cup preparations. In January, the British Daily Mail reported that more than 6,500 migrant workers involved in the construction of Qatar World Cup stadiums lost their lives due to poor working conditions. Of Qatar's 2.8 million population, only 380,000 are native Qataris, with the rest being migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries. Despite this, these workers reportedly suffered from low wages, wage arrears, and long working hours during the World Cup preparation period. The media pointed out that "the World Cup is stained with blood," and criticized both the Qatari government and FIFA for remaining silent despite the recurring situation.
Recently, Qatar has also been accused of forcibly evicting thousands of workers who were staying near tourist accommodation areas for the World Cup. The Qatari government forcibly evicted over 1,200 migrant workers living in apartments near the capital, Doha, last month without prior notice. Bani Saraswati, director of the Middle East human rights organization "Migrant Rights Project," criticized this, saying, "Qatar is trying to hide the fact that it exploited cheap labor while only showing a luxurious and wealthy facade."
Qatar has consistently denied allegations of human rights violations against migrant workers. The Qatar World Cup Organizing Committee claims that only three workers died at the World Cup stadium construction sites.
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