Ban the Reported Use of Slave Labor in Building Sports Infrastructure

Target: Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA

Goal: Stop allowing the reported use of inhumane migrant labor to build Qatar’s World Cup infrastructure.

The World Cup is an international sporting event that has been known to attract an audience from half the world’s population. It is no surprise that Qatar has some big shoes to fill finding out they would host the event in 2022. This location is the first in the Middle East to find themselves in a pinch to build the country to FIFA fan standards and become a mecca for soccer. Such a task puts the same pressure on most host regions, and for Qatar, rising to the occasion means building and/or renovating eight stadiums among other local changes.

Massive levels of construction in an almost impossibly short timeframe does not come easy. Employing a large workforce is necessary to keep building going with little to no setbacks. Qatar has caught the attention of the media and human rights advocates by enlisting desperate migrants to work on stadiums and surrounding infrastructure to support the influx of spectators. Despite labor reforms in the country, the construction for World Cup 2022 has had reports of, among others, implementing employment fees for workers, dangerous work conditions, and unpaid overtime. Even worse, these laborers are apparently penalized for quitting or not fulfilling time and quality expectations.

This is not a standard that should be tolerated by an reputable and world-renowned organization such as FIFA. In fact, no country should be considered to host the World Cup given these circumstances. Sign the petition below to urge FIFA president Gianni Infantino to take action against Qatar if they are in fact to host this spectacular event later this month.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear President Infantino,

FIFA’s reputation is at stake. While the decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is a major victory for the Middle East, the country’s plan to prepare does not represent the global reputation of your organization. It is no doubt that any location would strive to do everything in its power to create the setting for a memorable tournament. yet the memories created so far do not reflect well on FIFA or Qatar.

Building and/or renovating eight stadiums in addition to bolstering infrastructure in the surrounding area require a lot of bodies. Qatar’s solution has been to enlist thousands of migrants desperate for income and willing to accept any work offer. This seemingly starts with paying a fee to join work teams, placing workers in debt before the start. Long hours without overtime pay, unsafe work conditions on construction sites, and threats of retribution to those who quit are apparently just a few other ways Qatar is preparing for FIFA’s arrival.

Allowing these atrocities to human life does not sustain the positive image FIFA strives for. Allowing Qatar to seemingly apply these tactics without notice from FIFA sets the bar low for future hosts of the World Cup. It also sends the message FIFA as a global entity does not necessary care about people on a global level. Please review the accusations outlined by media and human rights organizations and respond accordingly.

We urge you to prohibit the use of borderline slave labor in building World Cup infrastructure.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: AFL Architects