Louis van Gaal calls for compensation funds for migrant worker families who died in Qatar

Callum Boyle

Amnesty International have led the calls for compensation

Louis van Gaal has backed calls to set up a compensation fund being set up to support the families of migrant workers who died while working to set up the Qatar World Cup.

Amnesty International have led the calls with many of the families yet to receive any form of compensation as there was no posy mortem, with deaths deemed as natural causes as oppose to industrial accidents.

The Human Rights Watch Group wrote to FIFA’s 14 corporate partners and World Cup sponsors, telling them to tackle the abuse migrant workers have suffered during World Cup preparations.

Netherlands boss Van Gaal has also been heavily critical in the build up to the tournament and has demanded that FIFA face the consequences following their ‘smart’ decision to award Qatar the tournament.

He said: “Of course, I am supporting the compensation funds (for the victims of labour abuse in building the World Cup stadiums in Qatar) and I think that must happen especially when you consider that millions, I mean billions that FIFA profits from the tournament.

“If they are so smart to organise the World Cup there they must stand with all that comes after that decision.”

“I am supporting the compensation fund. I think this must happen especially when you consider the millions that FIFA profits from.”

Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal has demanded compensation to be paid to victims of labour abuse at the Qatar World Cup. pic.twitter.com/aSmxQystmO

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) September 20, 2022

Van Gaal’s comments are also widely supported. The Daily Mail reported that 67 per cent of adults who participated in a YouGov poll commissioned by Amnesty say that the FIFA should use the revenue from the tournament to compensate workers who have suffered during the preparations.

England are set to issue their own statement this week on Qatar’s human rights this week. Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has spoken on the issue of workers’ human rights before while captain Harry Kane has promised to speak to other international captains making a joint symbolic gesture in support of human rights.