The International Football Federation (Fifa) has expressed for the first time "interest" in the establishment of a compensation fund for victims of accidents at work on the construction sites of the World Cup in Qatar, has said its deputy general secretary, Alasdair Bell, on Thursday.

“It is important to try to see that anyone who has suffered an injury as a result of their participation in the World Cup, it is somehow repaired,” said Mr. Bell before the parliamentarians of the Council of Europe, watchdog of human rights on the continent, during a hearing on the protection of workers' rights in Qatar.

“Something we want to advance”

"It's not the easiest thing to set up, it takes thought," he continued.

"It requires structure, rules and governance", but "it is certainly something that we want to take forward", he added.

At the beginning of October, the French Football Federation (FFF) had already indicated that it was working with several other federations on a compensation fund for victims of accidents at work on the construction sites of the World Cup in Qatar.

“We spoke with a dozen federations to work on a triptych” of proposals, explained its deputy vice-president, Philippe Diallo.

According to him, these include "creating a reception center for migrant workers which would be part of the legacy of the Qatari World Cup", as well as a "compensation fund for all those who have been victims accidents at work during the construction sites of the World Cup".



Qatar calls for the establishment of a minimum wage

The idea of ​​a compensation fund for workers who worked on the construction sites of the competition has been brought in recent months by several human rights organizations, which have called on the sponsors of the World Cup to support the initiative.

Qatar has put in place workers' compensation systems but these measures have been slow and have not benefited everyone, according to Amnesty International.

NGOs, which welcome certain social reforms adopted by the Qatari authorities, point to shortcomings in the protection of workers, as well as a recurring problem of unpaid wages.

Qatar, for its part, vigorously rejects criticism of its inaction on workers' rights, welcoming in particular the introduction of a minimum wage, the relaxation of the dependence of workers vis-à-vis their employers and the imposition of stricter protective rules during very hot summers.

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