QATARQatar World Cup’s perplexing personal safety concerns
The Qatar World Cup’s safety concerns are a constant subject of discussion in the soccer world. Social media provides outlets for millions to discuss and learn about how a World Cup in the desert country plays out. All the changes and accommodations for the Qatar World Cup are firsts for the world’s biggest sporting event. Oftentimes, they raise more questions than excitement.
Historically, the World Cup occurs during the Summer. However, due to Qatar’s topography amid desert heat, FIFA pushed the quadrennial event to the Fall. Even then, forecasts put the average temperature in the range of 85° Fahrenheit (29° Celsius) between November 21 and December 18.
Seven of the stadiums are outdoor venues. The lone exception is Al Bayt Stadium, which uses a retractable roof. These newly constructed venues came under the focus on green design and energy-efficient ventilation. Each of the stadiums is within an easy drive of one another. Lusail Stadium, 14 miles north of Doha, is the host of the final and is the central most venue for the country. Lusail Stadium, an 80,000-capacity venue, hosts the World Cup Final on December 18.
Working conditions in preparation
The fulcrum of the Qatar World Cup’s safety concerns stem from the 2 million blue-collar workers building infrastructure under reprehensible conditions. Over 6,000 migrant laborers died during construction. The Qatari government said “the mortality rate among these communities is within the expected range.” That perplexing quote suggests activists should be satisfied with such tragic consequences. Yet, Qatari officials chastise complaining workers experiencing inhospitable conditions.
According to Amnesty International, workers have been “exposed to forced labor.” However, a reform process is underway that supposedly eases the abuse endured by migrant workers.
Furthermore, laborers worked overtime when the exigencies of their organization demanded it. However, employers did not properly compensate the workers for their time. Amnesty further scrutinized FIFA. The organization claimed the world governing body for soccer should take “responsibility to both prevent abuses and to address those that have occurred as a result of their business operations linked to the World Cup.”
Despite FIFA’s admonitions to Qatar, it remains set upon the organizing committees to enforce the reformed regulations upon employers