The FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world. However, the choice to host the games in Qatar has led to outrage from human rights activists everywhere. Over the past 11 years, Qatar has contracted hundreds of thousands of migrant workers from nearby countries to build seven stadiums, railways, and hotels for the World Cup. This government scheme is so rampant in Qatar that 90% of the country’s population is comprised of migrant laborers. These workers are usually desperate for work and lured in by false promises by the Qatar government. With unsafe working environments, lack of concern for workplace injuries and deaths, manipulated laborers, mandated male guardianship for women, and criminalization of homosexuality, Qatar could not be a worse place for hosting the World Cup.

Migrant Worker Deaths and Injuries:

Qatar’s government lures poor men from India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh with promises of a better life and higher income. However, these migrant workers face a dangerous work environment with a high probability of becoming injured or even dying on the job. 

Between 2010 and 2021, 6,750 migrant workers died during Qatar’s efforts to prepare for the World Cup. Out of those workers, 69% of Indian, Nepali, and Bangladeshi deaths were classified by Qatar as “natural deaths.” A striking 80% of Indian migrant deaths were similarly deemed “natural.” 

Despite calls from Qatar’s lawyers to investigate these suspicious deaths, the government has failed to conduct autopsies or examine forensic evidence. 

In 2020 alone, workplace injuries among migrant workers totaled 38,157, with the majority being related to construction efforts. Common causes of injury included machinery, falling objects, and unsafe roads. Additionally, the desert climate of Qatar results in unsafe conditions for laborers who work long hours in the sun. Shambhu Chaudhary, a migrant worker, takes pills to counteract dizziness from Qatar’s extreme heat. If a laborer feels too sick to work, he will lose two days’ worth of salary as punishment. 

Corporate Sponsors Hypocrisy

FIFA’s website brags that it is the “most effective international marketing platform, reaching millions of people in over 200 countries throughout the world.” Despite the controversy of slave labor and lack of human rights in Qatar, FIFA’s sponsors have refused to pull their financial support of the sporting event due to the potential for promoting their brands.

The corporate sponsors of the Qatar World Cup include:

• Adidas
• Coca-Cola
• McDonalds
• Hyundai-Kia
• Qatar Airways
• Visa
• The Wanda Group
• Anheuser-Busch InBev
• Hisense
• Mengniu Dairy 
• Vivo

Ironically, most of these corporations have publicly announced their support of the LGBTQ+ community, even though Qatar openly criminalizes homosexuality. Coca-Cola has used imagery of same-sex couples to advertise its beverages, while Adidas celebrated Pride Month by launching rainbow-colored shoes. One LGBTQ+ woman detained by Qatar’s Preventive Security Department reported being slapped, kicked, and punched until she bled and lost consciousness.

Celebrity Involvement:

In addition to being a sporting event, the FIFA World Cup offers musicians a unique opportunity to perform for audiences around the world. 

Popular musical artists reportedly performing at the FIFA World Cup include:

Popular musical artists confirmed to perform at FIFA’s Fan Festival include:

• Sean Paul
• Clean Bandit
• Patoranking
• Omar Montes
• DJ Aseel
• Gims
• Miami Band
• Julian Marley and The Uprising
• Myrath
• Hassan Shakosh

Unlike these performers, pop artist Dua Lipa released a statement on Instagram stating, “I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform. I will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.”

Similarly, British musician Rod Stewart announced that he was offered one million dollars to perform at the World Cup, but ultimately decided “It’s not right to go.”

Conclusion:

While the sponsors and performers of the Qatar World Cup may lack concern for human dignity, we as consumers can take action to prevent the use of slave labor and violations of human rights. By sharing information about the violence faced by migrant workers, women, and LGBTQ+ people, as well as by refusing to watch the World Cup and boycotting products from its sponsors, and we can show FIFA that its viewers will not sacrifice their morals and support human rights abuses.