Thousands of migrant workers have died since Qatar was awarded to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Read their stories.

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Since Qatar was awarded the 2022 FIFA World Cup, thousands of migrant workers have died. In search for answers, journalism platform Blankspot collected stories directly from their families. We then created Cards of Qatar – a catalogue of football cards that instead of facts about players tell the stories of the workers who never returned.

Read their stories and long form articles highlighting the reality of the situation for the migrant workers who built Qatar. Read more

THE CARDS


Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Tul Bahadur Gharti

1986—2020
Years
of
Age
34
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Tul Bahadur Gharti

1986—2020
Tul Bahadur Gharti from Nepal died on the night of May 28, 2020, at the age of 34. His death certificate issued by the Qatari authorities states that his death was due to "acute heart failure due to natural causes". "He never complained of any symptoms. I have a hard time believing that he would just die," Ms Bipana told Amnesty International. She wanted his body to be autopsied, but was told by his neighbors in Qatar that it would not be possible to determine the cause of death. "We had no children of our own and it feels as if they set my husband on fire and as if I am burning in oil".
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Kubir Singh BK

1970—2020
Years
of
Age
50
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Nepal
In memory of

Kubir Singh BK

1970—2020
19 years ago, Sita Kumari's husband Kubir Singh BK traveled to Qatar to secure the future of their two daughters and son. Now he would soon go back home forever. During his last talk with the family, he said that he was done with Qatar. - But it was too late. He was wrapped in a box, says the widow Sita Kumari. According to the family, the company that Kubir Singh BK gave 19 years of his life did not ensure that he received the necessary care when he became so sick that he died. - They forced him to work even when he was sick. Now we are without support, and we worry about the future.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
India
In memory of

Madhu Bollapally

1976—2019
Years
of
Age
43
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
India
In memory of

Madhu Bollapally

1976—2019
On November 18, 2019, Latha Bollapally received a call from Qatar. Her husband had had a heart attack the night before in his room. Ten days after his death, the body arrived at the village. He worked abroad for 12 years. - He never said anything about his salary or about the working conditions or how he lived. When he died, we received one thousand Indian rupees as compensation, says Brother Rajesh. The family knows very little about his life in Qatar. - He lived alone, cooked all his food by himself and when some relatives wanted to make contact with him, he distanced himself from them.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Sujan Miah

1988—2020
Years
of
Age
32
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Sujan Miah

1988—2020
Sujan Miah from Bangladesh was 32 years old when he died in Qatar on September 24, 2020. The official death certificate states that he died of natural causes. But Sujan's brother tells Amnesty International that he was completely healthy when he left. In Qatar, he worked laying pipes in the desert. All his work was done outdoors in the heat and during the four days preceding his death it was 40 degrees in the shade. Sujan's siblings describe the loss as “inconceivable” to Amnesty staff who met the family in Bangladesh.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
India
In memory of

Srinivas Narukulla

1981—2020
Years
of
Age
39
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
India
In memory of

Srinivas Narukulla

1981—2020
Srinivas was a crane operator in Qatar and worked for a local construction company. - I was told that he died due to “natural causes” but I do not believe that. How can a completely healthy man just die on the spot? I think he was killed, says Sriniva's wife Anitha Narukulla. Srinivas was an esteemed worker. In 2019, he received a smartphone from his boss. - My husband told me that several of the colleagues became jealous. They started fighting, Anitha remembers. Two months later, he was dead. When the body came in a package, there was a smaller package next to it. In it lay the phone.
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Zobair Ahmed

1988—2020
Years
of
Age
32
World
Cup
Qatar
22
cardsofqatar.com
Migrant worker
Bangladesh
In memory of

Zobair Ahmed

1988—2020
In February 2020, Farzana Akhter lost her husband and gave birth to their first daughter. Instead of celebrating a new life, she had to go to the airport and claim Zobair Ahmed’s dead body along with $410 and a death certificate. He was 32 and had worked as a driver in Qatar for nine years. The official cause of death said “strangulation”. It was unclear if he had committed suicide or accidentally ended up hanging in his helmet strap. “I refuse to believe that he would have taken his own life,” the widow says. “I see no reason why.”
— told to the journalistic platform Blankspot
FULL STORY
cardsofqatar.com

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