There’s nothing “natural” about workers dying in avoidable workplace-related accidents. Yet this is how authorities in Saudi Arabia have classified the recent deaths of scores of migrant workers in the country.
Workers have died falling from buildings, being electrocuted, and even decapitations. Saudi authorities meanwhile have failed to ensure protections against preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure adequate compensation for family members.
And as the Saudi government ramps up construction work as it prepares to host the 2034 World Cup, as well as for other major projects, the risk of these gruesome deaths is increasing. This should be a huge red flag for businesses, football fans, and sports associations seeking to partner with FIFA, the international football organization, on the upcoming tournament.
Saudi Arabia, like other Middle Eastern countries, relies heavily on migrant workers from countries like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Protections for these workers have long been lacking. We covered similar abuses and lack of compensation for workers and their families ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Families in deceased migrant workers’ home countries have said they were left in the dark about the circumstances of their relatives’ deaths. Some employers refused to cover the costs of returning workers’ bodies, and companies even tried to avoid returning deceased workers’ belongings and withhold the outstanding pay owed to them.
The Saudi government has failed to ensure its processes are effective in determining the cause of migrant worker deaths. But FIFA already awarded the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without proper human rights due diligence or guarantees of effective worker protection requirements.
It begs the question as to why FIFA is knowingly risking yet another tournament that will unnecessarily come at a grave human cost.
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