The Qatari government has issued an extraordinary rebuttal to claims that its winning the right to host the 2022 World Cup will come at the cost of thousands of migrant workers’ lives.

Fifa’s decision to award the tournament to the Middle Eastern nation is being reviewed as part of a criminal corruption probe by the Swiss authorities, and there have been renewed calls for the decision to be revoked after Sepp Blatter tendered his shock resignation.

But after the Washington Post ran an article entitled “The Human Toll of Fifa’s Corruption” suggesting that 4,000 workers could die between now and the kick-off of the 2022 matches, Qatar’s government published a statement stating “this is completely untrue”.

“In fact, after almost five million work-hours on World Cup construction sites, not a single worker’s life has been lost,” the statement added.

“As a result of the Post’s online article, readers around the world have now been led to believe that thousands of migrant workers in Qatar have perished, or will perish, building the facilities for World Cup 2022 – a claim that has absolutely no basis in fact,” it said.

Work is well under way on five new stadiums in Qatar, and the government said the 4,000 deaths figures effectively assumed that every migrant worker would be put on World Cup projects and “that the death of every migrant worker in Qatar is work related”.

Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Show all 6 1 /6 Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Michel Platini Current president of Uefa. Voted for the Qatar World Cup, which makes position somewhat difficult. Asked Blatter to resign before elections. Getty Images Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Prince Ali Al-Hussein The Jordanian was the only contender against Blatter when the elections took place. Managed to pick up 73 votes from the Fifa executive committee to Blatter's 133. Has already confirmed he will stand again. PA Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president David Gill The former Manchester United chief executive refused to take up his place on the Uefa executive committee after Blatter's re-election. 'My professional reputation is critical to me and I simply do not see how there will be change for the good of world football while Mr Blatter remains in post,' he said at the time. Reuters Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Luis Figo Former Real Madrid and Barcelona player announced himself as a candidate for the most recent election but pulled out in protest at how it was being run, saying the process was 'anything but an election'. AFP/Getty Images Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Jerome Champagne Also announced himself as president contender but failed to gain the minimum five nominations required. The Frenchman is a former Fifa deputy general secretary and has been a fierce critic of Uefa. GETTY IMAGES Contenders to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Michael van Praag Dutch FA president was also a contender for president before pulling out in order not to split support between himself and Price Ali. GETTY IMAGES

Nicholas McGeehan, from Human Rights Watch, told the i100.co.uk that there was no reason to doubt Qatar’s claim but said it was probably because “health and safety on [World Cup] sites is of a much higher standard than in the rest of Qatar’s construction sector”.