During the World Cup, a migrant worker died while carrying out repairs at the resort, which was used by FIFA as a training base for the Saudi Arabian team during the World Cup group stage.
The five-star Shoreline Beach Resort has been in business for more than 25 years and has 58 luxury villas, as well as a full-size training ground, a beach bar, a mini golf course and several restaurants. A room at the resort will cost Qatari riyal 1,180 (£265; $324) a night this weekend.
In the group stage, before Saudi Arabia withdrew from the competition, access to its facilities required certification from FIFA, emphasizing that the venues are under the jurisdiction of FIFA – football’s world governing body.
However, there has also been a tragic accident here since the race began, which killed a migrant worker and is being investigated by the Qatari government.
Athletic A Filipino man, estimated to be in his early forties, died on the field during the game, multiple sources said, whom they could not identify to protect their jobs and safety. The guy who works on the site says his name is Alex.
Alex was involved in a forklift accident in which he slipped off a ramp while walking alongside the vehicle and hit his head on the concrete.
A medical helicopter was flown to the incident but was unable to rescue the worker.
He, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect his work, visited the resort on behalf of Qatari company Salam Petroleum, who was tasked with fixing lights in the parking lot, according to workers on the site.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which organized the World Cup in Qatar, said the incident happened on a public road inside the resort, adjacent to the training area. Therefore, the matter is being investigated by the government and not by the Supreme Council itself.
Multiple sources at the scene claimed the worker was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. It’s unclear if the company provided a copy.
The sources also said they were surprised that the victim and the forklift driver were not accompanied by a third worker, who would normally assist with the process.
Salam Petroleum has been contacted for comment.
The Supreme Council has previously said its “commitment to the health, safety and dignity of all workers employed by our projects remains unwavering”.
FIFA has previously said that occupational health and safety measures on site are an important priority.
The man’s events and fate became a source of speculation for staff at the complex, as they were not officially informed of his death.
In fact, some said that when they first heard the helicopter had arrived, they thought it must be an important dignitary or politician, or one of the features of this tournament in Qatar. That’s partly because general security on the team’s website was taken over by local police and Saudis during their stay, making it hard to get definitive information.
Some people who spoke to the scene seemed surprised Athletic This was already known because it was not publicly communicated.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement sent to all media on Wednesday that the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup was “the best group stage ever in a FIFA World Cup” – this year He told the European Parliament that only three migrant workers had died in the construction of Qatar’s eight World Cup stadiums, based on figures provided by the host country.
However Nicholas McGeehan of human rights group FairSquare has previously called the figure “deliberately misleading” as stadiums account for only about 1% of Qatar’s World Cup-related buildings.
Human Rights Watch said the correct figure will never be known because “Qatari authorities have failed to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers, many of them ‘natural causes.'”
Nepal’s labor ministry alone says 2,100 Nepalese citizens have died from various causes in Qatar since 2010 — the country the 2010 World Cup was originally awarded to.
Further confusion came last week when Qatari officials in charge of World Cup deliveries said the number of migrant workers killed on World Cup-related projects was “between 400 and 500”.
Hassan Sawadi, secretary-general of the Supreme Council, said the exact figure of the death toll was still “under discussion”.
“It’s estimated to be around 400 people,” Al Thawadi told television news program Piers Morgan Uncensored. “Between 400 and 500. I don’t have an exact number, it’s something that’s being discussed.
“One death is too many, it’s that simple. (But) every year the health and safety standards on the site are improving, at least on our site, the World Cup site, the site we’re responsible for. Most definitely, You have unions[recognizing]the work and improvements that have been done on World Cup grounds.”
World Cup boss Hassan Al-Thawadi told Piers Morgan that 400-500 migrant workers had died working on World Cup-related projects.
“Yes, improvements must be made.”@piersmorgan | @TalkTV | #PMU Qatar pic.twitter.com/Cf9bgKCFZe
– Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) November 28, 2022
A coalition of human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch has previously called for compensation for the families of migrant workers who were injured or killed during infrastructure construction for the World Cup. The English Football Association and its German FA, as well as World Cup sponsors Anheuser-Busch InBev, Adidas, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, have all expressed support for the remediation plan.
Earlier this year, Mark Bullingham, chief executive of the English Football Association, said: “We continue to push the principle of compensation for the families of migrant workers killed or injured in construction projects.”
FIFA, the Supreme Council and Salam Petroleum were all asked whether they would consider compensation to the families of workers killed at the training ground.
A Qatari government official said: “The Qatari authorities are investigating the incident. If the investigation concludes that safety protocols were not followed, the company will be subject to legal action and severe financial penalties. When a worker is injured or dies in a work-related accident, or When employers are unable to pay wages, compensation is paid out through the Worker Support and Insurance Fund. More than $350 million has been disbursed through the fund this year. Since the introduction of strict health and safety standards and enhanced enforcement through regular on-site inspections, work accidents in Qatar have rates have been falling.”
The Supreme Council (SC) added: “Since the incident mentioned occurred on a property that is not under the jurisdiction of SC and the deceased’s work as a contractor is not within the purview of SC, the matter is being dealt with by the relevant government department. The SC is following up with the same relevant authorities to ensure we are regularly updated with developments in relation to the investigation and has established contact with the family of the deceased to ensure relevant information is communicated.”
The Qatari government was also asked about Salam Petroleum’s involvement but did not comment.
FIFA said: “FIFA is deeply saddened by this tragedy and our condolences and sympathies go out to the family of the worker. As soon as FIFA learned of the accident, it contacted the local authorities and requested more information. Details. FIFA will be able to comment further once the relevant procedures related to the passing of the worker are completed.”
Sealine Resort has also been contacted for comment.
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