Maya Universe AcademyNetherlands

World Cup 2022

This world cup in Qatar has cost the lives of 6500 workers, many of whom are Nepalese nationals. Most worked in very harsh working conditions, no legal support and a lot of discrimination. Qatar didn’t take any responsibility and termed it ‘natural deaths’ giving no compensation to their families who received their loved ones return back in body bags at the airport

By Manjil Rana, Chairperson, Maya Universe Academy

This world cup in Qatar has cost the lives of 6500 workers, many of whom are Nepalese nationals. Most worked in very harsh working conditions, no legal support and a lot of discrimination. Qatar didn’t take any responsibility and termed it ‘natural deaths’ giving no compensation to their families who received their loved ones return back in body bags at the airport.

Despite, several big media covering it and many others protesting, the world cup is running as scheduled and it doesn’t look like those families are getting any apology, not to mention- compensation. It doesn’t feel like we live in the world where ‘black lives matter’ or the ‘me too’ movement is happening. It feels more like a world where poor people are Russel Crowes- fighting slaves and lions in the movie gladiator as the crowd cheers on.

My student, 15 year old, Ujwal, told me a few weeks ago, “I heard you are banning us from watching the world cup. Its not fair. I am gonna watch it anyway!”

Of course we showed the games to kids who were interested. However, we also did many classes where we discussed the social, environmental and political factors associated with this tournament. Many of our students are interested in the game and we have had many volunteers help out as coaches. We have a team participating in a football tournament in kathmandu right now where we are the defending champions. Watching the game is important to them. We were all cheering for the Dutch of course!

Nepal had its general election the day world cup began. Hopefully this government will put more effort in our nation’s youngest so that one day we can also send a team to the world cup (to play). Nepal is more responsible for this death than Qatar for treating its citizens as merchandise, for the failure of the public school system, political instability, corruption and unemployment that forces young men and women to leave their friends and family for several years at a time to work as slaves.

If Messi or Ronaldo were born in Nepal, I am not sure if they wouldn’t also be working in 50 degree Celsius, carrying 50kgs of cement on the 50th floor of a building in Qatar or Saudi Arabia.

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Picture below "Maya beats Adarsha Vidhya Mandir (11-0) at the ongoing Father Moran Cup in St.Xaviers to reach the quarter finals! As the defending champions, we are one of the favorites to win this inter school competition where 16 schools from Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur participate."