Worker dies at Aramco Stadium construction site in Saudi Arabia, 2034 World Cup venue
A worker died on a construction site in Aramco Stadium, Saudi Arabia, one of the venues to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
“A worker died” was confirmed in a statement to CNN Sports at the stadium on March 12, a construction company responsible for the Al Khobar project, Besix Group confirmed in a statement to CNN Sports at the stadium site.
“In line with detailed and proven security procedures, in close collaboration with our joint venture partner Al Bawani, working on the website for several months, these security procedures have always proven to be effective,” the statement said.
“The incidents concerned are currently under thorough investigation by the authorities and we are fully working to determine the exact situation. For the purpose of the investigation, we will not provide further comments at this stage.”
Besix went on to say that it has a “long-standing tradition of transparency” in “ensure (ING) and promoting the rights of migrant workers.”
CNN Sports has contacted Al Bawani, the global football governing body FIFA and the 2034 World Cup Organizing Committee to further comment on the workers’ deaths.
The Aramco Stadium in eastern Saudi Arabia is scheduled to be completed in 2026. The 47,000-seat venue is one of the 15 locations to host the World Cup, as well as the 2027 Asian Cup.
Saudi Arabia has been identified as host of the 2034 World Cup in December, part of the country’s broader investment in sports and diversified economy.
This means a significant investment in infrastructure projects, which include the construction or renovation of 15 boarding stadiums and the creation of 185,000 new hotel rooms.
However, human rights groups warn of potential significant losses from Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the competition.
Many migrant workers still exist in the “Kafala” sponsorship system, which connects people with specific employers. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a June statement that employees were “vulnerable to widespread abuse, including contract substitution, high hiring fees, non-payment of wages, employers’ forfeiture of passports and forced labor.”
HRW said that despite Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a series of reforms, employers “still maintain disproportionate control over workers.”
Last year, Hammad Albalawi, head of Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid, said the country has made progress in human rights in recent years.
“We’ve come a long way and there’s a long way to go. Our principle is to develop something that suits us. Our journey began in 2016, not because of the World Cup bid.”
CNN’s Ben Church contributed to the report.
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