The organizations called now the DFB to join the demand and to support it publicly. Of the DFB had always rejected calls for a boycott, instead citing the possibility of dialogue with Qatar and through the WM generated attention to bring about change.
Infantino points to progress and speaks of only three deaths
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who relocated to Qatar earlier this year, was asked about possible compensation for victims and their families at a business conference in California in April. In his reply, he again referred to changes that had been initiated in Qatar.
Infantino mentioned the minimum wage and the possibility of changing employers. Human rights organizations have recently confirmed progress in labor law in Qatar, but at the same time criticized the poor implementation of these reforms, which means that workers are not able to exercise their rights.
When asked about compensation for the dead, Infantino also questioned the public figures and emphasized that there had only been three deaths on World Cup stadium construction sites – and not 6,500. Infantino’s further statements at the appointment caused outrage. He said that you give people with hard work “Pride and Dignity” give.
Interpretation of the numbers shapes public debate
The count of the dead plays a major role in the public debate.
- 6,500: This number of dead guest workers was published by the “Guardians” 2021. The newspaper referred to the total number of deceased guest workers since WM-Award to Qatar from five countries (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). This number was never referred to alone WM-Construction sites.
- 3: The Organizing Committee of WM refers specifically to the construction of the World Cup stadiums. The committee distinguishes the death of people in “during work” and “not during work”. According to this count, a total of 37 WM-Workers who were building the stadium have died in recent years, 34 of them “not during work”.
Amnesty International complained that the deaths of thousands of migrant workers in Qatar were not investigated, despite evidence linking their deaths to dangerous working conditions such as the heat. Instead, death certificates would be routinely issued stating deaths “natural causes” or vaguely defined “heart defect” to be led back.