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The International Football Association (FIFA) expressed for the first time Thursday its “interest” in establishing a compensation fund for victims of work accidents at the construction sites of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This was stated by Alasdair Bell, Deputy Secretary-General, before the members of the Council of Europe observing human rights during a hearing on the protection of workers’ rights in Qatar. A poll conducted by Amnesty International last September showed that the majority of World Cup fans were urging FIFA to pay compensation to foreign workers.
FIFA Deputy Secretary-General Alasdair Bell on Thursday expressed for the first time his “interest” in establishing a compensation fund for victims of work accidents from foreign workers On construction sites for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Bell told members of the Human Rights Observer Council of Europe during a hearing regarding the protection of Workers’ rights in Qatar It is “important to try to know that anyone who has been injured as a result of their participation in the World Cup will be compensated.” He added that “it is not the easiest thing to set up, that needs to be thought. It requires structure, rules and governance,” but it “is definitely something we want to develop.”
The French Football Federation had indicated at the beginning of October that it was working with several other federations to establish a compensation fund for victims of work accidents at construction sites for the World Cup in Qatar. “We spoke with dozens of federations to work on a set of tripartite proposals,” said Philippe Diallo, vice president of the French Federation at the time. He pointed out that these proposals include “establishing a reception center for migrant workers that will be part of the legacy of the Qatar World Cup,” as well as “a compensation fund for all those who have been exposed to work accidents at the World Cup construction sites in Qatar.”
A poll conducted by Amnesty International last September showed that the majority of World Cup fans were urging FIFA to pay compensation to foreign workers. “There is still plenty of time for FIFA to do the right thing,” Steve Cockburn of the rights group said in a statement, calling on FIFA to “prepare a reform program … before the competition begins.”
The gas-rich Gulf state, which will host the first World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world between November 20 and December 18, has been subject to repeated criticism regarding the conditions of its foreign workers.
Doha asserts that it has made significant improvements in recent years, including imposing a minimum wage and relaxing many aspects of the sponsorship system that gave employers powers over workers’ rights to change jobs and even leave the country.
FRANCE 24/AFP
