Since it was granted the honour of organizing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar has responded to many skeptical campaigns against this milestone, which marks the first historic hosting in the Arab region, as it remained an implementable barrier to all these campaigns when it took its 12 years worth of hard work as a way to respond to the skeptics, until its stadiums, facilities and infrastructure proved their remarkableness that will make the next edition of the World Cup a truly exceptional one.
At a time when the media retracted the attack forcibly, in compliance with the logic of truth, after the world witnessed impressive Qatar World Cup preparatory achievements on the ground, some brought back the issues of workers’ rights through false information that loses its credibility in the absence of proof. It was easy to refute these allegations again, but through reliable official bodies, which contributed to responding to these allegations.
The firm conviction of many fair-minded people that workers’ rights are nothing more than a cover for other goals controlled by the attackers, and was mainly born out of the refusal to grant an Arab country to host the World Cup, which makes the lament over those rights nothing but an excuse to continue launching the unjustified attack, based on rumors, such as the report published in a European newspaper claiming that the number of deaths in the facilities and stadiums of the World Cup since winning the hosting has reached 6,500 workers, without presenting a proof or a reliable source.
Critics ignored all official reports issued by international labour organisations, in addition to the vigorous supervision of the International Football Association (FIFA), which constantly hails the initiatives undertaken by Qatar to protect the rights of workers and meet their needs. These initiatives came through the concerned authorities locally, as well as international bodies with great credibility in this regard, led by labour and human rights organisations, to prove the extent of care to provide the appropriate environment for workers according to internationally recognised standards.
The concerned authorities in Qatar, led by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), have always called for dialogue regarding the file of workers’ rights by giving anyone who wishes to find out the truth the opportunity to do so before supporting smear campaigns based on false information. SC officials invest every opportunity to emphasise the open call for a direct dialogue regarding the practical steps taken by the state regarding the workers’ file, which confirms that dealing with these campaigns has continued to be carried out with prudence, wisdom and skill.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino has long sought to convey the reality of the great achievements accomplished by Qatar regarding the reforms that it has adopted on workers’ rights. In a video clip played at the beginning of an extensive press conference held in Doha on Monday to present the latest operational preparations a month before the World Cup and only after a few days have passed since the last confirmation issued by FIFA, he described the reforms as pioneering after they changed the lives of thousands of workers for the better.
The latest testimonies that refute the recent allegations came from FIFA’s Deputy Secretary-General Alasdair Bell, who confirmed that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be the first major sporting event that will leave a positive and sustainable effect on human rights.
Bell spoke during a hearing on “Sports governance and social rights: the protection of workers’ rights in Qatar,” organised jointly by the Committee on Culture, Science, Education & Media and the Committee on Social Affairs, Health & Sustainable Development of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg. He stressed that there had been clear progress in improving human and labor rights in Qatar, noting that a combined effort to improve the standards and the FIFA World Cup was also an important catalyst to change legislation positively in Qatar.
There has been real tangible progress in Qatar, he said, adding that Qatar has started to dismantle the kafala, or sponsorship, system and has also introduced a non-discriminatory minimum wage, strengthened heat stress protections and set up worker committees.
“Something like 250,000 people were able to change jobs because of these reforms. Nearly 300,000 workers benefitted from the introduction of the minimum wage. We will look at ways to build on these reforms, to ensure they are enduring. A center in Qatar where migrant workers can receive advice is being explored. So is the possibility to find redress for anyone who suffered an injury. It is not the simplest thing to put into place,” Bell added.
The workers who contributed to the implementation of the facilities for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 have been greatly appreciated, as they remain an important part of celebrating the completion of each of the stadiums, whether the seven specially built for the event or the renovated Khalifa International Stadium, in recognition of the great efforts they made.
Commitment to the rights of the workers of the World Cup facilities was embodied in the workers’ city that was built in the industrial area, which is considered compelling evidence of the humanitarian services provided to workers, as it has residential complexes, places of worship, a police station, a health center and bus stops. It also includes the entertainment and commercial area, which includes playgrounds, commercial centers, theaters and cinema halls, in addition to shops.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), an internationally recognised body, had been suspicious of the fabricated information that has long been the focus of allegations, which claims the death of 6,000 workers in the projects of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 during the last ten years. Secretary-General of ITUC, Sharan Burrow confirmed in an interview she conducted two weeks ago with the French news agency (AFP), that the claims that more than 6,000 workers had died on construction sites over the past decade were “a myth.”
Burrow pointed out the reforms undertaken by Qatar, noting that a major transformation had been witnessed by the host country of the World Cup in terms of workers’ rights, which included reforming laws and improving wages and living conditions, stressing that the ITUC and the Qatari government have become “valuable friends.” She called on football fans around the globe to visit Qatar and enjoy the World Cup, stressing that oversight over everything related to workers remains in place.
