No date was provided for the death, only that it happened during the group stage that started on November 20 and ended on December 2; Qatar World Cup chief executive Nasser Al-Khater said: "Death is a natural part of life whether you're at work or in your sleep"
Friday 9 December 2022 06:20, UK
The 2022 World Cup chief executive has said "death is a natural part of life" after it emerged a worker died in Qatar in an incident at a resort used by Saudi Arabia for the tournament.
No date was provided for the death, only that it happened during the group stage that started on November 20 and ended on December 2.
The Sealine Beach Resort was not newly built for the tournament which has been subject to scrutiny over conditions for the low-paid migrant workforce and lack of details on deaths.
Asked about the incident, Qatar World Cup chief executive Nasser Al-Khater said: "We are in the middle of a World Cup and we have a successful World Cup and this is something you want to talk about right now.
"Death is a natural part of life whether you're at work or in your sleep.
"A worker died and our condolences go to his family. However, it is strange that this is something that you wanted to focus on as your first question."
The incident was only confirmed after The Athletic reported that a Filipino man slipped off a ramp into concrete while walking alongside a forklift truck.
A Qatari government official said: "If the investigation concludes that safety protocols were not followed, the company will be subject to legal action and severe financial penalties.
"Compensation is paid through the Workers' Support and Insurance Fund when a worker has been injured or passed away due to a work-related incident, or when an employer is unable to pay salaries."
FIFA confirmed the incident but did not respond to further questions from Sky News, asking when it happened and if there had been other deaths at World Cup-linked sites during the competition.
Football's governing body said in a statement: "FIFA is deeply saddened by this tragedy and our thoughts and sympathies are with the worker's family.
"As soon as FIFA was made aware of the accident, we contacted the local authorities to request more details.
"FIFA will be in a position to comment further once the relevant processes in relation to the worker's passing have been completed."
Amnesty International migrants' labour rights researcher, Ella Knight, said: "Unfortunately, Mr Al Khater is mistaken when he says that every fatality is investigated. This is simply not true.
"We and others have been calling on the Qatari authorities to conduct such investigations on workers' deaths for years to no avail.
"Instead, they continue to simply write off vast numbers of deaths as being due to 'natural causes' despite the clear health risks associated with working in extreme temperatures.
"It goes without saying that the Government should be investigating this most recent tragic case, as well as the deaths of all others. Every single family who has lost a loved one as a result of their working conditions in Qatar deserves answers and remedy for their loss."
