Shocking extent of W. Cup deaths in Qatar revealed

A trade union leader has revealed the shocking extent of deaths of 2022 World Cup workers in Qatar. Qatar has come in for strong criticism over human rights and the treatment of migrant workers. There are set to be eight stadiums in use for the tournament with organisers desperately trying to get them ready for four year’s time. It is unclear quite how many workers have died in preparing for the World Cup but Hans-Christian Gabrielsen, Leader of Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions, has offered a frightening insight. “If we were to hold a minute of silence for every estimated death of a migrant worker due to the constructions of the Qatar World Cup, the first 44 matches of the tournament would be played in silence,” he said.

“The stories of the workers in Qatar are unfortunately not unique. It is the everyday life of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers around the world.” The total of 44 matches is almost the whole of the group stages at a World Cup, with only the final four matches not affected. The Qatar World Cup will be the first not to be held in the summer with matches due to get underway on November 21. Gabrielsen added, “Labour migration is one of the biggest challenges facing international trade unions today. An ever-increasing economic globalization means that we have more migrant workers today than ever before.

“The stories of the workers in Qatar are unfortunately not unique. It is the everyday life of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers around the world.” Embassies, according to a report, had counted more than 400 deaths a year between them - a total of 1,239 deaths in the three years to the end of 2013. But Nepal and India account for only about 60 per cent of the estimated 1.4m migrant workers in Qatar, so the total number of migrant worker deaths is certain to be higher.