3. BACKGROUND
In December 2010, the FIFA Executive Committee awarded the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup to Qatar, meaning that the tournament would be held in the Middle East for the first time. Beating Australia, Japan, South Korea and finally the USA, Qatar was a highly controversial choice because of allegations of corruption, its extreme heat and its dire human rights record. 20 Qatar’s bid included commitments to develop massive infrastructure projects, including nine new stadiums, the renovation of three others and the creation of accommodation facilities and transport infrastructure. 21 Later the total number of stadiums to be used for the World Cup was reduced to eight. 22 The World Cup project was part of Qatar’s “2030 Vision” that promised to advance its society sustainably and provide a high standard of living for its people. 23 The Qatar government has also been explicit about seeing the tournament as an opportunity to showcase their country. 24 Given Qatar’s huge oil and gas wealth, but relatively small population and reliance on foreign workers, the infrastructure for the tournament was always going to be constructed by hundreds of thousands of migrant workers. As such, the country’s population grew from 1.6 million in December 2010 to around 2.8 million in April 2022, with most workers coming from South and South-East Asia and Africa. 25 When the World Cup finally takes place, in November 2022, Qatar will also be host to 32 teams and over one million visitors. 26
LABOUR ABUSES BEFORE 2010 When FIFA awarded the World Cup to Qatar in 2010, labour abuses and exploitation were rife. Workers’ rights were limited and imperilled by the country’s kafala sponsorship system. The labour laws were poorly enforced, and unscrupulous employers were given free rein to abuse their workforce. To come to Qatar, migrant workers had to leave behind their families and home, and borrow large sums to pay exorbitant recruitment fees to secure jobs in Qatar. Once in the country, many found that their working and living conditions were different to those promised during the recruitment process, yet they had little choice but to continue working. They were not allowed to leave the country or change jobs without the permission of their often-abusive employers. Their total dependence on their employers meant that some found themselves "undocumented" through no fault of their own, leaving them at risk of being detained and deported. Many had their passports confiscated by their employer or their pay withheld for months. Some
The Guardian, Qatar Wins the 2022 World Cup Bid, 2 December 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/dec/02/qatar-win-2022-world-cup-bid 21 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid Evaluation Report: Qatar, p. 5. 22 FIFA, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Destination, https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/destination 23 Qatar National Vision 2030, https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/about-qatar/national-vision2030/ 24 Government Communication Office, In Focus FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/focus/2022-fifaworld-cup-qatar/; see also The Peninsula, “FIFA World Cup 2022 expedites achieving QNV 2030”, 21 March 2021, https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/10/03/2021/FIFA-World-Cup-2022-expedites-achieving-QNV-2030 25 Qatar Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, Monthly figures on total population for January 2022, Overview, https://www.psa.gov.qa/en/statistics1/Pages/Overview.aspx 26 Al-Jazeera, Ticketless fans may struggle for hotels during Qatar World Cup, 24 March 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2022/3/24/ticketless-fans-may-struggle-for-rooms-during-qatar-world-cup 20
PREDICTABLE AND PREVENTABLE WHY FIFA AND QATAR SHOULD REMEDY THE 2022 WORLD CUP ABUSES Amnesty International
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