European parliamentarians are expressing concerns about the living and working conditions of immigrant workers on the sites designated for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. On Thursday, a resolution will be discussed to condemn what Amnesty International refers to as “forced labor.”
Despite assurances from the organizing committee for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar regarding the respect for workers’ rights on construction sites, European parliamentarians are considering the possibility of boycotting the competition if substantial changes are not observed.
Hannes Swoboda, the leader of the socialist group, stated on Tuesday that participating in the World Cup would not be advisable without a significant improvement, advocating for a mission to Qatar to assess the situation.
Environmental activist Daniel Cohn-Bendit criticized prominent figures in world football, including Zidane and Michel Platini, for avoiding the issue. He urged them to break their silence, emphasizing that teams like FC Barcelona and PSG, playing with a Qatar jersey, are complicit in supporting what he referred to as “slavery.”
A study conducted by the International Trade Union Confederation, based on embassy information, reveals alarming statistics, with 400 deaths annually reported from India and Nepal alone, averaging more than one per day. Workers endure grueling conditions, working up to 12 hours a day without rest during the week. The initial revelations about these inhumane working conditions were brought to light by The Guardian in September.
