ABSTRACT
Qatar’s selection to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 was for many a surprising choice. There were concerns about the suitability of Qatar, both as a country that experiences extreme summer temperatures and as one that was seen, with some justification, to lack protections for labour rights. The authors present a view from inside the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) for Qatar 2022 and share reflections on the scale of effort undertaken in laying down a comprehensive system of end-to-end protections for migrant workers, all the way from recruitment in their home countries, through their time in Qatar and onwards to their future careers. This chapter sets out how the SC used Qatar 2022 as an opportunity to catalyse and galvanise a programme of social reforms for workers’ welfare legacy – including ethical recruitment; reimbursement of illegal recruitment fees; health, safety and welfare protections, including comprehensive medical screenings and patient records; and access to remedy with workers voices enshrined in workplace forums. The authors argue that these measures that have been embedded in Qatari law have led to behaviour change in contractors operating locally, regionally and globally, offering practical learning for the wider region and for future mega-sporting events.
