Last week's World Cup 8 into 4 stage, the continuous sudden death of reporters at the World Cup in Qatar cast a shadow over this event.
Among them, Grant Wahl, a well-known senior sports journalist in the United States, died suddenly while covering the game, regrettably and incomprehensibly, at the age of 49. Witnesses revealed the process of Wahl's sudden death, and shockingly, the venue was not equipped with basic first aid equipment, such as automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
This has raised suspicions about the unfair treatment of journalists by Qatari hosts.
Over the past period, Wahl has been following and reporting on labor issues in Qatar, especially the thousands of labor deaths that occurred during the construction of World Cup venues.
His reporting has attracted worldwide attention and recognition. However, Wahl's family suspects he has received death threats from high-ranking local officials and has demanded an investigation.
Wahl's death caused condolences not only from the FIFA president, but also from the editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated and sports journalists around the world. But what is even more shocking is that less than 48 hours after Wahl's death, another Qatari journalist died suddenly at the World Cup, the specific cause of death is still unknown.
This series of events has aroused people's attention to the World Cup schedule, especially some unreasonable links in the event arrangement. The intensive schedule is a huge test for both the athletes and the journalists who report on it.
However, the organizer should take responsibility and provide basic medical care and safety equipment to protect the lives of the people participating in the event. Of course, we cannot deny the Qatar World Cup its pomp and appeal to fans and athletes from all over the world.
However, such a series of sudden deaths has forced a new look at the organization and safety of the event.
Organizers need to seriously rethink and take action to address these issues to ensure that the World Cup becomes safer, fairer and more sustainable.
In future competitions, we call on Qatar hosts and FIFA to strengthen the organization and management of the tournament to ensure fair and safe treatment for all involved. This includes the provision of adequate medical equipment and first aid measures, as well as the rationalization of the schedule to reduce the physical and psychological burden on participating athletes and journalists.
The World Cup is a global sporting event that should represent solidarity, friendship and respect for sportsmanship.