Qatar probing death of Filipino worker at World Cup training site, says official

Qatar has launched a work safety investigation after a Filipino man died at a training site during Fifa World Cup, Qatari officials said on Thursday.

Nasser Al Khater, chief executive of the 2022 World Cup in Doha, confirmed to Reuters that a worker died, without providing specifics.

Online sports publication The Athletic reported on Wednesday that a Filipino man contracted to fix lights in a car park at the Sealine Resort, the training site of the Saudi national team, died after he "slipped off a ramp while walking alongside the vehicle and fell headfirst against concrete".

Citing multiple unnamed sources, it said the accident occurred during the World Cup, but did not specify when. The resort did not immediately respond to a Reuters' query.

"If the investigation concludes that safety protocols were not followed, the company will be subject to legal action and severe financial penalties," another Qatar government official said in a statement.

"The rate of work-related accidents has consistently declined in Qatar since strict health and safety standards were introduced and enforcement has been stepped up," the official said.

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