Document Type
Note
Abstract
The 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted in Qatar was mired in controversy.
From the corrupt bidding process to the sub-standard working and living
conditions, Qatar was heavily criticized for its management of the World Cup.
This paper explores two of the main critiques levied against the host nation:
its exploitation of migrant labor and the harsh and restrictive policies against
women and the LGBT community. Concerning migrant labor, the kafala
system is the primary cause of hardship. It is a labor sponsorship system, and
it requires migrant workers to invest time and resources to acquire a job in
Qatar, a sunk cost that then prevents them from leaving upon discovering that
the working and living conditions are not what was promised. Women suffer
from a similar sponsorship system, except instead of sponsorship by
employers, they are sponsored by male relatives. Lastly, LGBT rights are non-
existent in Qatar, and anecdotes about the LGBT experience and struggle for
freedom and safety are noted below.
Qatar and FIFA did work together to try to alleviate some of these
problems. Qatar created a new wage protection system and labor dispute
mechanisms to ensure timely payment for migrant workers and provide them
with legal recourse if it was denied. Furthermore, FIFA created the “Supreme
Committee” which oversaw construction efforts undertaken by FIFA and
attempted to set labor standards. These programs had marginal success, but
they at least displayed an intent for improvement.
Lastly, this paper also compares the treatment of migrant workers,
women, and the LGBT community in Qatar with their treatment in the United
States of America. The United States is the next host of the World Cup and
will face similar inquiries into its treatment of these groups. The United States
is not above criticism concerning its protection of migrant laborers, women,
and the LGBT community. Therefore, it should learn from the lesson of Qatar
and ensure that the rights of these groups are safeguarded.
Recommended Citation
Jack Richardson,
The Ugly Side of the Beautiful Game: The World Cup’s Impact on the Migrant Labor Crisis in Qatar and What it Means for the United States of America as Future Hosts,
52
Ga. J. Int’l & Compar. L.
670
().
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/gjicl/vol52/iss3/7