World Cup host Qatar is investigating the death of a migrant worker, an official said Thursday, after reports he died at a training base during the ongoing football tournament. The death of a Filipino in his 40s was first reported by sports website The Athletic on Wednesday and was later confirmed by the Philippine State Department. The athletics said the man fell down a slope while repairing lights at a resort used as a training base by the Saudi Arabia national football team.
According to the report, he was not wearing any armor. The date of the accident was not stated. Saudi Arabia’s run of the tournament ended with a loss to Mexico on November 30.
“The incident is being investigated by the Qatari authorities,” a Qatari government official said on condition of anonymity.
“If the investigation reveals that safety protocols have not been followed, the company will be subject to legal action and severe financial penalties.”
Manila’s foreign ministry told AFP on Thursday that the man died “while working at a resort in Mesaieed,” south of Doha.
Diplomats “worked with judicial authorities to find out more details,” the ministry said in a statement, adding it would facilitate “the speediest repatriation” of his body.
World football’s governing body, FIFA, said it was “deeply saddened by this tragedy”.
“As soon as FIFA was made aware of the accident, we have contacted local authorities to request more details,” the company said in a statement.
The organizers of the World Cup in Qatar, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, said the accident site was not under its jurisdiction.
The man who died — a contractor — was also “not within the purview” of the commission, it said in a statement.
Migrant workers make up more than 2.5 million of Qatar’s 2.9 million population and working conditions have been heavily criticized, especially in the run-up to the World Cup.
Last month, Qatar authorities said 414 migrant workers have died in occupational accidents in the country between 2014 and 2020.
Under pressure from international trade unions, Qatar has introduced laudatory labor reforms. These include the introduction of a minimum wage of 1,000 riyals ($260) and restrictions on hours during which workers can go outside in extreme heat.
The World Cup started on November 20 and ends on December 18.
(This story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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