Razeen Gutta
Ten human rights groups led by Amnesty International have urged the Federation Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) to match the $440 million (R7.1 billion) awarded to World Cup winners to compensate migrant workers in host nation Qatar.
The 10 groups, including Migrant Rights and Football Supporters Europe, co-wrote an open letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino in which the demand was made.
The letter comes after allegations that Fifa failed to safeguard exploited workers who built the stadiums and expanded Qatar’s infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup.
While the exact number of fatalities is unknown, the UN’s International Labour Organisation last year reported that Qatar had not investigated worker deaths adequately. For example, autopsies had not been routinely carried out.
“Qatar, Fifa, the Supreme Committee and other actors including employing companies all bear a responsibility, independent of each other, to contribute financially to a remediation programme,” the open letter said.
Paying the families of workers who died, and to compensate workers for unpaid wages and illegal recruitment fees, as well as to support initiatives to protect workers’ rights in the future will require a significant investment, the letter noted.
“Fifa should reserve an amount not less than the $440 million prize money offered to teams participating in the World Cup. This would represent just a small percentage of Fifa’s anticipated $6 billion revenues from the tournament.”
When asked to comment, Fifa said that it was “assessing” the proposals made, claiming that they have “actively pushed for the implementation of broader labour reforms”.
“Fifa welcomes the fact that Amnesty International and other signatories of the report also recognise the progress that has been made regarding workers’ rights in Qatar in relation to Fifa World Cup projects and beyond – a significant achievement that Fifa is proud to have contributed to,” Fifa told The Athletic.
Fifa has recently suggested that they have provided dignity to migrant workers despite reports of slave labour and 6,500 migrants dying during construction.
The 2022 Fifa World Cup is scheduled to kick off in Qatar on 21 November.
Image source: @NBCNews
