The 2022 World Cup is eight years away and Qatari officials have already begun to start preparing for the games. When the bid was announced for the 2022 World Cup, the favorite to receive the world’s most popular sporting event was the U.S., but Qatar won the bid.
As host, Qatar will receive a bid to play in the games. They would be the lowest-ranked team to host the World Cup. I was so confused after hearing the results, but remembered that FIFA is one of the most corrupt sports organizations in the world. It’s almost 100 percent certain that members of FIFA were given million-dollar bribes to pick them, but as always, these bribes are always “disputed” by FIFA. It’s extremely hot in Qatar during June and July, and Qatar has no suitable stadiums, so it was very surprising that Qatar was given the World Cup bid.
FIFA and Qatar are under a lot of scrutiny due to thousands of migrant workers that have died due to the working and living conditions in Qatar. A recent report released by the International Trade Union Confederation stated that 717 Indian migrant workers have died since Qatar was awarded the World Cup. 400 Nepelase workers have also died.
Nepalese and Indian workers make up 38% of the 1.4 million migrant workers who are living in Qatar to build stadiums and other infastructure for the World Cup. It can be estimated that there have been thousands of more deaths on top of the ones the Nepalese and Indian officials have confirmed since work started in 2011. For comparison, seven workers died in Brazil in preparation for the 2014 World Cup.
Given that there are eight more years until the stadiums have to be ready, thousands of more deaths could occur and the building of the 2022 World Cup would be on pace to take more lives than 9/11. The ITUC report called Qatar “a country without a conscience,” and looking at the facts it’s hard to disagree with that statement.
Workers spoke to the ITUC and shared their stories. Qatari officials have provided housing where over 10 people were forced to sleep in one small room. Qatar has not done anything to improve the living conditions or working conditions of its migrant workers, mainly because of the kafla system that is in place. Kafla law says migrant workers are to be treated as if they are indentured servants. Many workers are stuck in Qatar with no way out as Qatar will not pay them for their work and tell them to come back another day to get their checks and tickets home. The situation appears to be modern-day slavery.
FIFA has done absolutely nothing to stop Qatar, and they honestly do not care about the amount of deaths that take place in preparation for the games. The FIFA officials have already received their bribes, and even though people have already labeled the World Cup a “disaster,” the games will go on as planned in Qatar.