A World Cup security guard is in intensive care after falling from what one observer has described as a “significant height” after Argentina’s quarter-final against the Netherlands at the Lusail Stadium.
The incident occurred at about 2am on Saturday as the hospitality village was emptying out after the game, which Argentina won on penalties. It came shortly after the US journalist Grant Wahl died of an apparent heart attack while covering the match.
The precise circumstances surrounding the fall are unclear but one fan told the Guardian that the guard had dropped from the top outside concourse on to the ground below close to gate 30 of the stadium.
The person involved, who is believed to be a migrant worker, was rushed to Hamad hospital where he is said to be in a stable but critical condition.
In a statement Qatar’s supreme committee said: “On Saturday 10 December a security guard at Lusail Stadium suffered a serious fall while on duty. Stadium medical teams immediately attended the scene and provided emergency treatment before he was transferred to Hamad Medical Hospital care unit via ambulance.
“He remains in a stable but critical condition. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this time, and we wish him a speedy recovery. The host country is investigating the circumstances leading to the fall as a matter of urgency. He will continue to receive his salary in full while receiving medical care.”
This latest incident comes days after it was reported that a Filipino national contracted to fix lights in a car park at the Sealine Resort, the training site for the Saudi Arabia national team, had died earlier in the tournament. According to reports the worker slipped off a ramp while walking alongside a vehicle and fell headfirst against concrete.
The chief executive of the Qatar World Cup, Nasser al-Khater, then sparked controversy by saying “death is a natural part of life – whether it’s at work, whether it’s in your sleep”, when asked about the death.
On Saturday football’s governing body, Fifa, honoured Wahl by placing flowers on the desk he was due to use to cover England’s quarter‑final against France. They also put a tribute to the 49-year-old on the stadium scoreboard shortly before kick-off.
