Controversy on Qatar

The decision to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar left many students and staff conflicted when it was revealed that the workers who were building the soccer stadium were mistreated and suffered a lot of unfair labor practices. According to National Public Radio, many migrant workers died due to the poor working conditions and mistreatment. Even FIFA said that the selection of Qatar was a mistake.

“It has definitely impacted the way I see it because of where it is being hosted,” said freshman Axel Bravo. “A lot of people are struggling and suffering because of how they had to build all these stadiums.”

According to the BBC news, over 30,000 foreign laborers from Asian countries were hired to build the stadiums. And about 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka died due to the extreme working conditions. NPR reported that migrant workers died from “workplace accidents, car crashes, suicides and deaths from other causes, including the heat” since 2010.       

“I’m not really sure why they have to continue to have the World Cup there if there is evidence of abuse,” said Mr. Paul Franzese, Humanities teacher. “They can literally play the game anywhere.

Despite these circumstances, with all the abuse and deaths of the workers, some students’ views of the World Cup didn’t change much.

Ryan Puchayev, a senior, saw a connection between the human rights abuses and historical events, but it didn’t really affect the way he watched the games. “I’m just trying to watch the game, man,” he said. 

“I don’t think it changes my view on the world cup or anything, though I feel bad for the people who have lost their lives because they put a lot of hard work into it,” said sophomore Ethan Esquea “I also feel bad because I don’t think that the country of Qatar did anything to compensate for the lives lost.”