Beyond the game: The human cost of mega
sporting events.
More
than just a game
|
Mega sporting events like the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, and other global tournaments are celebrated as triumphs of athleticism, unity, and national pride. But behind the spectacle, these events often leave a troubling legacy of human rights violations, displacement, and exploitation.
What’s at Stake?
FREEDOM
Freedom to Organize: Workers facing intimidation and legal barriers to unionization.
Fair Wages
Fair Wages & Conditions: Rising inequality and corporate power undermining fair pay.
EXCLUSION
Mega sporting events often restrict the rights of migrant workers who build sporting infrastructures.
Take a look at our active campaigns
FIFA's current crisis spotlights the need for governance reforms and transparent systems to protect human rights, the Sport & Rights Alliance said today. Though Gianni Infantino's FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal has been rightly withdrawn, the growing calls for further measures should also address the deeper human rights crisis that, if ignored, risks yet another system that tolerates corruption and covers up abuses.
The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) Africa and Middle East, in collaboration with Union-to-Union (UtoU) and SBTF, convened a three-day workshop from 27 to 29 August 2026 in Accra, Ghana. The workshop was attended by 24 union representatives, including 12 women.
The National Trade Union Seminar "Strengthening labour rights and sustainability in the forestry and timber value chain in Peru” was organised with support from GS Facket Sweden, bringing together in Lima unions of public and private workers in the forest products chain.
Discover our past campaigns
BWI building on progress in Qatar
Building on progress for workers in Qatar through continued work on worker participation and joint committees, wage protection and occupational safety and health, including a three-year heat stress awareness campaign that has reached hundreds of thousands of workers.
Qatar's Workers Support
In 2022, the World Cup in Qatar came to a close. The work didn't. Through our heat awareness campaign with Qatar's Workers Support and Insurance Fund (WSIF), we have been pushing to keep workers safe from extreme heat on the job.
Qatar's Workers Support
In 2022, the World Cup in Qatar came to a close. The work didn't. Through our heat awareness campaign with Qatar's Workers Support and Insurance Fund (WSIF), we have been pushing to keep workers safe from extreme heat on the job.
What can be done?
No Worker Left Behind
Migration is Not a Crime. Exploitation Is.
The global labour movement, including the BWI, issued a strong response. Unions highlighted systemic failures that make migrants more vulnerable to exploitation, including forced labour, unsafe recruitment, blocked access to trade unions, and discrimination against women and LGBTIQ+ migrants.
Stop the Deportations
End Forced Removals
Detention, raids, and mass expulsions destroy families and communities while hiding the real causes of exploitation.
Halt the Expulsions
Migrant workers are being criminalized instead of protected their rights and lives must come before border politics.
Protect Workers
Those who build our cities and economies deserve dignity, safety, and legal pathways — not fear, violence, and expulsion.
Find all resources regarding the cost of mega sporting events.
Here, you'll find policy documents, reports, and key resources on labor exploitation in mega sporting events, corporate and government accountability, workers' testimonies, and the actions needed to demand justice and fair conditions.
Adapting to the Heat – 2025 Edition
A comprehensive report on existing global responses to protect workers in construction, building materials, wood, and forestry industries from rising temperatures (June 2025).
TOO HOT TO WORK
Eyes on the campaign goals focusing on extreme heat and its impact on workers, its global mitigation, and BWI actions toward COP30 and BWI 6th World Congress.
Protecting Migrant Workers in an Overheating Planet
A policy paper serving as a comprehensive guide on how governments and global industry leaders can implement measures to safeguard the rights of migrant workers in the face of escalating climate impacts (November 2023).
HEAT UP WORKERS RIGHTS MEDIA RESOURCES
Posters, factsheets, videos, etc...
