Qatar faced with allegations of practising slavery for World Cup preparations

‘Slavery’ allegations on Qatar for World Cup preparations

As per reports from The Guardian, the Nepal embassy at Doha have documents which suggest that at least 44 workers died during the preparations of World Cup 2022. Most of the deaths happened as a result of heart attacks, heart failure or workplace accidents.

There are allegations regarding irregular payment of wages, confiscation of workers’ passports, etc. The state was also alleged with practising forced labour for the 2022 World Cup preparations.

The Nepalese ambassador to Qatar, Maya Kumari Sharma, called the state as “an open jail” for workers from Nepal.

Aidan McQuade, director of Anti-Slavery International, said: “The evidence uncovered by The Guardian is clear proof of the use of systematic forced labour in Qatar. In fact, these working conditions and the astonishing number of deaths of vulnerable workers go beyond forced labour to the slavery of old where human beings were treated as objects. There is no longer a risk that the World Cup might be built on forced labour. It is already happening.”

FIFA president had recently said in an interview with insideworldfootball.com, “The Qatar World Cup promises to help unite an unstable region of the world by bringing hope and joy to millions who have suffered for decades. It will show, once again, that football is a force for good.

“We have no political ambitions, which is why we are not suspect of having a political agenda. All we want is to bring the World Cup to regions where it has never been before, and where football can help make a difference — even for a few weeks. I am a firm believer in the good of the game and what it can generate.”

Now, the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has issued a statement regarding the allegations.

It said: “Like everyone viewing the video and images, and reading the accompanying texts, we are appalled by the findings presented in The Guardian’s report.

“There is no excuse for any worker in Qatar, or anywhere else, to be treated in this manner.

“The health, safety, well-being and dignity of every worker that contributes to staging the 2022 FIFA World Cup is of the utmost importance to our committee and we are committed to ensuring that the event serves as a catalyst toward creating sustainable improvements to the lives of all workers in Qatar.

“We firmly believe that all workers engaged on our projects, and those of the other infrastructure developers in Qatar, have a right to be treated in a manner that ensures at all times their wellbeing, safety, security, and dignity.

“This is our top priority as we begin to deliver on the promises made in our bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.”

The statement also revealed that the Qatari government is conducting an investigation into the allegations.