DOHA: Qatar has rejected calls for a compensation fund for migrant workers killed or injured during World Cup preparations, with the country’s labour minister calling it a “publicity stunt”.
Labour Minister Ali bin Samikh Al Marri told AFP that Qatar is already handing out hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid wages, and accused the Gulf state’s critics of “racism”.
Marri said Qatar already has a fund to deal with worker deaths and injuries.
“This call for a duplicative FIFA-led compensation campaign is a publicity stunt,” he said in an exclusive interview. “Our door is open. We have dealt with and resolved a lot of cases.”
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have led demands for FIFA and Qatar to create a fund for workers matching the $440 million World Cup prize money.
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