The human cost of big sporting events

July 5, 2024

KATHMANDU – With the Copa América, the UEFA European Championship and the Olympic Games all taking place over a few months, summer 2024 is shaping up to be a celebration of sport.

However, many modern sporting events have been held in countries with appalling human rights records, with little pushback from fans, broadcasters or governments. In a world where celebrities are held to high moral standards—and face consequences for falling short—this inconsistency is striking.

My historical research focuses on this troubling issue, aiming to understand why sport often evades the scrutiny we so readily apply to other events and individuals.

Qatar 2022

For years before its first match began, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was marred by accusations of sportswashing, environmental damage, exorbitant costs and, most critically, severe human rights abuses—including the country’s treatment of women, the LGBTQ+ community and migrant workers.

Among these widely reported allegations was one especially harrowing statistic: over 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh died while building hotels and stadiums in preparation for the 2022 World Cup. This means that each minute of football played at the tournament equated to the loss of one human life.

While the Qatari government put the death toll far lower, at 47, these abuses were no secret in the run up to the event. Still, they had little impact on public opinion—in the weeks leading up to the tournament, fans were more concerned about how the winter timetable would affect the regular football season, or their ability to consume alcohol in a Muslim country.

Calls for a boycott failed to catch on, and the event went on to garner high ratings, with