The 2022 FIFA World Cup officially kicks off in Qatar in less than 100 days. But this year’s tournament is stained by terrible human rights abuses suffered by migrant workers who literally built the games, says a report by Human Rights Watch.
According to the report released on Friday, thousands of migrant workers have been killed or injured, and many more have been victims of wage theft, as they toiled to prepare facilities to host the event. In 2010, FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar despite complaints about its poor human rights record and lack of infrastructure.
According to Human Right Watch, millions of workers were enticed to migrate to Qatar with promises of well-paying jobs. Instead, many were subjected to grave abuses and appalling conditions that amount to modern slavery.
The global Human Rights Watchdog, says workers endured a slew of abuses including exorbitant recruitment fees, delayed or unpaid wages, unsafe workplaces, and inadequate accommodation that led to at least 6,000 unexplained deaths.
It alleges that thousands of migrant workers lost their lives to make the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar possible. Qatar is up to now being fronted as the most paying place for migrant workers from Uganda seeking jobs in the Arab World.
The number of Ugandans who have ended in Qatar could not be readily established. According to Human Rights Watch, the horror doesn’t end with the people that have lost their lives. It found that as families back home grapple with the shock of losing loved ones far away in Qatar, they face an uncertain future without a breadwinner.
“Last month, Human Rights Watch witnessed the repatriation of deceased workers from Qatar to Nepal, where their families awaited them. “What will happen to my sister?” one family member asked. “She has three small children to take care of.” reads part of the report.
Human Rights Watch is running a campaign urging players and others to join in demanding that FIFA and Qatar remedy these abuses, including through financial compensation. The groups say FIFA still has an opportunity to address the tarnished legacy of these games.
Under the #PayUpFIFA campaign, Human Rights Watch and other organizations are calling on FIFA and Qatar to provide remedies for migrant workers and for their families.“Financial compensation is the least they can do to start addressing the suffering of the workers and families that paid the highest price so these games could happen,” said Human Rights Watch.
