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Article

21 Nov 2022

Author:
Serra Utkum Ikiz, Parametric Architecture

Qatar 2022: Foster + Partners, designer of Lusail Stadium, "distances itself" from controversy over labour rights

"Sport, architecture and worker rights: the dark side of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 constructions," 18 Nov 2022

Two days left until the FIFA World Cup 2022 start in Qatar. Many people were excited about the tournament, but on the other hand, in the latest report of the human rights and labor rights charity, Equidem stated that migrant workers were systematically subjected to racism, physical and psychological violence, and human rights abuses.

Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch said, “The World Cup draws immense international media and fan attention, but the tournament’s dark side is overshadowing football.” According to Amnesty International, data from Qatar’s Planning and Statistics Authority, approximately 15,000 non-Qataris have died in Qatar in the last ten years. The data is not directly presenting workers’ death in World Cup construction sites but currently, nearly all of Qatar’s infrastructure development has a connection to the World Cup...

In 2014, Zaha Hadid responded to The Guardian’s question about worker conditions in Qatar, “construction worker deaths is a serious problem but is a matter for the Qatari government”. She said, “I cannot do anything about it because I have no power to do anything about it. I think it’s a problem anywhere in the world. But, as I said, I think there are discrepancies all over the world.” and added, “Yes, but I’m more concerned about the deaths in Iraq as well, so what do I do about that? I’m not taking it lightly but I think it’s for the government to look take care of. It’s not my duty as an architect to look at it.”

In addition, a few days ago, Foster + Partners, the concept designer of Lusail Stadium, attempted to distance itself from the controversy surrounding the project’s treatment of workers. Fosters said it was “only involved in the initial design concept development phase, so any inquiries regarding the welfare of workers engaged in the venue’s building process are best addressed by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, who have managed the workers.”

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