Opinion: The 2022 Qatar World Cup has been wrecked with human rights abuses, including the deaths of migrant workers and lack of LGBTQ+ rights. Despite these abuses, the event is still being held and respected.
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In 2019, I sat on the edge of my couch eagerly watching as the United States Women’s National Team faced off against the Netherlands in the France Women’s World Cup. I resembled my father and uncles whenever their favorite football team scored a touchdown: I jumped off the couch and yelled in excitement when the USWNT scored.
Naturally, I enjoy watching the four-time World Cup champions much more than any men’s soccer team. That being said, I will watch the English Premier League and the Men’s World Cup when it’s a big game.
This year though, I have no intention of watching the Qatar World Cup because of the country’s blatant human rights abuses and the world’s disregard to oppose these abuses.
The 2022 Qatar World Cup will take place from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18, beginning with a match between Qatar and Ecuador. Originally the tournament was set to begin on Nov. 21, but organizers made the unprecedented decision to change the date only months before kickoff at Qatar’s request.
It is the first World Cup to not be held in May, June or July due to the extreme heat and humidity of the region in the summer months. Additionally, it is being played in a reduced timeframe of only 29 days.
Qatar was chosen in 2010 to host the 2022 World Cup with no consideration for the country’s human rights abuses or protection for those who would become involved.
In a recent interview with a Swedish newspaper group, the ex-FIFA president, Sepp Blatter — who was president when Qatar was chosen — said, “It was a bad choice. And I was responsible for that as president at the time.”
Blatter is right, it was a bad choice. Qatar being chosen to host the World Cup has only resulted in an increasing amount of migrant worker deaths and the exclusion of LGBTQ+ fans.
First, there is the abuse and deaths of migrant workers.
In order for Qatar to be able to hold the World Cup, there needed to be a significant increase in infrastructure. This included the building of eight stadiums, a new metro, multiple hotels and expanding the airport. As a result, thousands of migrant workers were hired for the job.
In 2010, more than 90% of the country’s workforce was made up of migrant workers from Asia and Africa. This year, there are more than 160,000 migrant workers in Qatar with 30,000 being hired specifically for the World Cup.
These migrant workers work under an abusive kafala, or sponsorship, program which ties their legal status to their employers.
According to the Human Rights Watch, “The kafala system enables serious abuses including forced labor, such as charging recruitment fees that trap workers in debt, confiscating their passports, stealing their wages and providing unsafe working conditions and crowded and unsanitary labor camps.”
Several organizations have called for a reform of the kafala system, unfortunately, too late in the case of Qatar.
The official statement by Qatar is there have been 37 deaths related to the World Cup from 2014-2020. However, the International Labor Organization has stated this figure is lower than the actual number because deaths due to heart attacks and respiratory failure are not included but are common results of heatstroke.
The ILO published that 50 migrant workers died in 2021 alone with more than 500 severely injured. That same year, 37,600 suffered mild to moderate injuries.
Qatar is actively covering up the deaths of migrant workers with no protections put in place by FIFA even though FIFA adopted policies in 2016 and 2017 to identify and remedy abuses in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Qatar also has no LGBTQ+ legal protections as same-sex relationships are prohibited under Penal Code 2004. Breaking this law has a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. But, the additional interpretation of Sharia law, which also criminalizes same-sex relationships, can result in the death penalty.
The security forces also routinely arrest and abuse LGBTQ+ people. The Human Rights Watch has found six cases of severe and repeated beatings and five cases of sexual harassment in police custody between 2019 and 2022. These people were arrested solely based on their gender expression.
In terms of what this law means for the World Cup and fans who may attend, an official from Qatar’s Government Communications Office has said, “fans will be free to express themselves during the World Cup but will be asked to respect the local values and culture.”
The UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, agreed with this and said fans should show a bit of flexibility and compromise.
“These are Muslim countries; they have very different cultural starting point for us. I think it’s important when you’re a visitor to a country that you respect the culture of your host nation,” he said.
Now, I do agree with the overall notion that when you are traveling to another place that has different cultures and lifestyles you should be respectful. That being said, respect and essentially removing a fundamental part of your identity are two very different things.
The thought of being in a different country you’re not familiar with is already a bit scary. But to fear for your safety, while not knowing what could possibly happen, is a risk many fans have chosen not to take, and it’s unfair that an event at this scale permits it.
Ultimately, I do not believe Qatar should have been given the privilege of hosting a world-stage event such as the World Cup. Even though numerous teams, fans and organizations have called out Qatar’s human rights abuses, Qatar only benefits from an event like this.
It is unjust to economically support a country that is actively targeting members of its population, and I think soccer fans should not participate in watching the tournament.
