Schakowsky Calls Out Abuse Of Migrant Workers Ahead Of Qatar World Cup

EVANSTON, IL — As more than a million expected fans arrive in Qatar for the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky issued a joint statement along with other leaders of the International Workers Rights Caucus.

“This Sunday, billions of people will tune in to celebrate the kickoff of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar," said Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat. "As the tournament begins, we must acknowledge the human cost of FIFA and Qatar's pursuit of World Cup glory."

FIFA, the notoriously corrupt governing body of world football, awarded the tournament to Qatar, a hereditary monarchy on the Arabian Peninsula, in 2010. According to the Justice Department, Qatar's agents bribed FIFA officials to secure hosting rights.

"FIFA’s culture of complacency and the Qatari government’s heel-dragging has resulted in thousands of migrant workers suffering from hazardous working conditions, inadequate compensation, inhumane living arrangements and even death," said Schakowsky, in the joint statement.

There have been thousands of unexplained migrant deaths in Qatar, and many more have been subjected to wage theft and illegal recruitment fees, according to Human Rights Watch.

A Guardian investigation found about 12 South Asian migrant workers died every week in Qatar during the decade after it was awarded the World Cup.

Human rights groups have urged the president of FIFA and the Qatari government to establish a compensation fund to remedy labor abuses "to which FIFA contributed."

“As leaders of the International Workers Rights Caucus, we will continue to speak out and push for answers and tangible commitments from FIFA and Qatar, including properly compensating migrant workers and their families who were subjected to many and significant abuses," Schakowsky said.

Schakowsky, who recently secured a 14th term in the House of Representatives, issued the statement jointly with fellow Democratic members of Congress Raul Grijalva of Arizona, James McGovern of Massachusetts and Andy Levin of Michigan.

"We will not stand by or remain silent about these human rights abuses that created a tournament on the backs of migrant labor and needless loss," she said.