If you miss hearing about the logistical snafu that was the Sochi Olympics, fear not: there are plenty more dysfunctional world sporting events coming our way. Consistent protests over resource-allocation to Brazil’s 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics have put a damper on those events. But the prize for deplorable exploitation goes to Qatar, host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Since construction on World Cup infrastructure began in 2012, about 900 workers—largely from Nepal and India—have died. An international trade union report alleges that if conditions don’t improve, that number could rise to 4,000 by the time the World Cup begins. It’s a lofty goal, but Qatar country is doing its best to meet it. For comparison, 25 construction workers died preparing for Sochi, and only six have died working on Brazil’s World Cup.
Some of the miseries of Qatar workers include:
*Allegations of forced labor in 120 degree heat, and denial of free drinking water.
*The old bait and switch routine where employers retain workers' salaries and passports making it impossible for workers to flee.
*Overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, with widespread sickness and reports of hunger.
At one point, 30 desperate Nepalese construction workers sought refuge in their country’s embassy, whereby they were finally able to leave the country (though they allegedly received no pay). One international trade official said in a statement that:
FIFA needs to send a very strong and clear message to Qatar that it will not allow the World Cup to be delivered on the back of a system of modern slavery that is the reality for hundreds of thousands of migrant workers there today.
Since then, FIFA has issued statements agreeing that "fair working conditions with a lasting effect must be introduced quickly in Qatar” and the Qatar World Cup committee has released a new charter outlining increased standards for pay and labor conditions for workers.
But there's still more scandal! A new report alleges the ex-Fifa vice president is being investigated by the FBI for taking a $2 million dollar bribe from a Qatari company in connection with the vote for hosting the 2022 world cup. But hey, what’s a major international event without a little corruption?
The FIFA decision to pick Qatar has been heavily criticized from the start, and in the three years since being chosen, Qatar has only bolstered skepticism. Oil and natural gas revenues have catapulted Qatar to the highest per capita income in the world—how about they shell out a little more money and treat their workers humanely? Image: commons.wikimedia.org
