As the Liverpool players gather on the Khalifa International Stadium pitch in Qatar on Wednesday, it will be impossible for them not to look up the impressive scale of the venue... but it should be even more difficult not to consider something else.

If you look at a certain spot in the structure, it is where worker Zachary Cox fell head-first 130 feet to his death in 2017, after an “inherently unsafe” hoist had snapped.

Veronica Hamilton-Deeley – the coroner at the inquest – ruled that was because “workers were being asked to use equipment that was not fit for purpose”, with one key factor the decision to speed up the building of the stadium’s roof.

Cox’s tragic fall was both the only death suffered by a westerner and the only death that actually took place inside a stadium in the construction work for Qatar 2022, but that in turn should put even more focus on the fatalities of so many migrant workers where the details are scandalously scarce. A further tragedy is that we have no clue how many have died in total. The Qataris have not released the figures.

Either way, the true price for venues like Khalifa International Stadium appears to have been many lives.

How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Show all 23 1 /23 How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Alisson (GK) SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - DECEMBER 10: Alisson Becker of Liverpool in action during the UEFA Champions League group E match between RB Salzburg and Liverpool FC at Red Bull Arena on December 10, 2019 in Salzburg, Austria. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Michael Regan Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Trent Alexander-Arnold (RB) epa08045151 Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool celebrates after his team scored the 4-1 during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool FC and Everton in Liverpool, Britain, 04 December 2019. EPA/Peter Powell EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications Peter Powell EPA How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Virgil van Dijk (CB) SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - DECEMBER 10: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Virgil Van Dijk of FC Liverpool gestures during the UEFA Champions League group E match between RB Salzburg and Liverpool FC at Red Bull Arena on December 10, 2019 in Salzburg, Austria. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) TF-Images Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Joel Matip (CB - currently injured) LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Joel Matip of Liverpool gestures during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images) Chloe Knott - Danehouse Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Andrew Robertson (LB) Andy Robertson believes Liverpool have what it takes AP How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Fabinho (Currently injured) Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Georginio Wijnaldum (CM) epa08060467 Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool FC during the UEFA Champions League group E soccer match between FC Salzburg and Liverpool FC in Salzburg, Austria, 10 December 2019. EPA/LUKAS BARTH LUKAS BARTH EPA How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Takumi Minamino (CAM) Salzburg's Takumi Minamino AP How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Sadio Mane (LW) Both Liverpool and Salzburg have reason to be thankful and proud of Sadio Mane Getty How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Roberto Firmino (ST) Liverpool's Roberto Firmino reacts during the group E Champions League soccer match between Salzburg and Liverpool, in Salzburg, Austria, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson) Kerstin Joensson AP How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Mohamed Salah (RW) TOPSHOT - Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah scores during the UEFA Champions League Group E football match between RB Salzburg and Liverpool FC on December 10, 2019 in Salzburg, Austria. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP) (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images) JOE KLAMAR AFP via Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Adrian (Sub) Adrian celebrates with Jurgen Klopp Getty How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Dejan Lovren (Sub) Dejan Lovren scored Liverpool's equaliser against Napoli Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Joe Gomez (Sub) LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Liverpool's Joe Gomez shields the ball from Napoli's Piotr Zielinski during the UEFA Champions League group E match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield on November 27, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images) Alex Dodd - CameraSport CameraSport via Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Naby Keita (Sub) SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - DECEMBER 10: Naby Keita of Liverpool celebrates after he scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League group E match between RB Salzburg and Liverpool FC at Red Bull Arena on December 10, 2019 in Salzburg, Austria. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Michael Regan Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Sub) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates scoring Liverpool's opener Getty How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Jordan Henderson (Sub) LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Jordan Henderson of Liverpool looks on during the UEFA Champions League group E match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield on November 27, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Michael Regan Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Divock Origi (Sub) Divock Origi celebrates scoring his second goal of the night Getty How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? James Milner (Rotation) LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: James Milner of Liverpool wears a Stonewall Rainbow Laces captains arm band during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Everton FC at Anfield on December 04, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Clive Brunskill Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Adam Lallana (Rotation) Soccer Football - Carabao Cup - Fourth Round - Liverpool v Arsenal - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - October 30, 2019 Liverpool's Adam Lallana in action with Arsenal's Mesut Ozil REUTERS/Andrew Yates EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. ANDREW YATES REUTERS How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Xherdan Shaqiri (Rotation) Soccer Football - Champions League Semi Final Second Leg - Liverpool v FC Barcelona - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - May 7, 2019 Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action with Liverpool's Xherdan Shaqiri REUTERS/Phil Noble PHIL NOBLE REUTERS How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Curtis Jones (Rotation) LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Curtis Jones of Liverpool during the Carabao Cup Round of 16 match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on October 30, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA Getty Images How could Liverpool line-up with Minamino? Rhian Brewster (Rotation) Liverpool's Rhian Brewster celebrates scoring a penalty in the shootout during the Carabao Cup, Fourth Round match at Anfield, Liverpool. PA Photo. Picture date: Wednesday October 30, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Liverpool. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mike Egerton PA

It should be the most grotesque of thoughts as you prepare for a football match. And if sport was any kind of normal world, it would raise the question of whether you should really be playing there at all.

That in turn raises a number of other questions ahead of this week’s Fifa Club World Cup, that should be put into further focus by decisions like Anthony Joshua’s agreement to fight in Saudi Arabia, given the many human rights abuses there.

What would actually happen if a club like Liverpool, or an international federation like the FA, refused to take part in such an event because of moral concerns over the hosts? What would the fall-out be? What would it tell us about how enmeshed the sport is in geopolitics? Should they even boycott? Is that a fair moral argument?

It perhaps shows how warped football is that there isn’t even really a precedent when it comes to such a situation, despite the prevalence of questionable hosts and competitions.

Liverpool will play at the Khalifa International Stadium (Getty)

Before getting into such important hypotheticals, however, the present reality should be considered. Some sources say that the Trades Union Congress has actually encouraged Liverpool to go in order to use their influence as a positive for migrant workers in Qatar, and the club’s general approach has been praised – even beyond the warped nature of the sport.

One senior football executive, after all, privately tells The Independent that the idea of a boycott by anyone would be “pretty remote”.

“I cannot conceivably think of any club or federation that would do it under any circumstance,” they say. “It’s all the usual reasons: power, money and all the usual nonsense that goes on in football with a failure to look at the bigger picture. Everyone pays lip service.”

James Lynch of the Fair/Square human rights organisation says that “lip service” has been pretty much all he’s got back when writing to various stakeholders about such issues. It’s why he praises Liverpool for their level of investment now.

“In general what you get is a series of broad and vague pronouncements, but this is actual engagement with the subject.”

The Khalifa International Stadium hosted the World Athletics Championships (Getty)

Liverpool refused to stay in Fifa’s initial hotel on moral grounds, and supported campaigns for thorough investigations into the deaths of migrant workers in Qatar – including those of Cox and Rupchandra Rumba, who had been working on football stadiums.

But what would actually happen if they used their status in the world to make the ultimate stand? It would after all bring the protection of an awful lot of good will.

“I think it would set alarm bells ringing around the football world in relation to the World Cup,” Kevin Carpenter, Senior Lecturer in Law at Manchester Metropolitan University, says. “If it was someone like Liverpool, Fifa couldn’t ignore, and the world couldn’t ignore, the issue.”

It says much that Fifa hasn’t ignored the possibility.

That is revealed in the regulations for this week’s event, the following process would take place in the event of a boycott.

Fifa would first bring a charge according to the regulations before their disciplinary committee, who would rule according to the case, after which the club would have the chance to appeal it all the way up to CAS.

There would first of all be a fine of 20,000 Swiss Francs if you withdraw 30 days before the first match, but what Carpenter finds really interesting is the phrasing of what follows. Sub-section 3 of article 6 says: “the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may impose additional disciplinary measures”.

“It basically gives them carte blanche to do whatever they want in terms of sanctions,” Carpenter explains. “I suspect they’d be quite harsh, really, because it is their flagship tournament and the only club event they do.

“I think the interesting part of article 6 of these regulations is probably sub-section 5 which says any participating club that withdraws could be liable to expenses, or to pay Fifa for any damages. So, yeah, if the sponsors were to turn around and say ‘we lost value because Liverpool aren’t there’, then I’m sure Fifa would bring a claim against them for some kind of damages.”

“That’s quite an unusual clause to have in sports regulations.”

And that’s also where it starts to get very complex, and where the complicated geopolitical layers the game is wrapped up in are really illustrated.

Consider the interests involved.

There is first of all the fact Fifa are especially looking to grow this sole club event of theirs, with the next one for 2021 greatly expanded, and planned for an even more problematic venue in China. But there is then what all that is tied up in.

“The thing that strikes me is massive amount of commercial contracts everyone is engaged with,” Lynch says.

There are secondly all of those sponsors, many of them coming from those countries with questionable human rights records – like Qatar Airways, like Wanda – and then the business deals with the countries themselves.

There is then the contracts the clubs and federations themselves have struck. They deal with companies – like, for example, Standard Chartered – who work in all parts of the world.

Liverpool will represent Europe after winning the Champions League (Getty)

A major club or federation boycotting an event would threaten all of this, throwing a sudden uncertainty into business deals that had previously gone so smoothly.

This is why a boycott would such be a huge act, and why it is so unprecedented. This is where another dilemma lies. On the one hand, a club of Liverpool’s size have the international status to weather it. On the other hand, it would rip the fabric of the business side of football.

One high-level source who has direct experience of this area says “the pressure would be extraordinary”.

“It would come from multiple directions, too. There are just too many stakeholders. There’d be enormous pressure on the national association, directly from Fifa. And any sanctions could go far as an ability to sign players. There’d be all sorts of Draconian measures.”

Carpenter concurs: “I think the Qataris would be pushing Fifa pretty tough on this… I think they would come down hard – although there would inevitably be comparisons with the recent racism discussions and the proportionality of any sanctions.”

“These are the conflicts throughout,” Lynch adds, before pointing to the roles of the chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, Nasser Al-Khelaifi. “He has about three different hats, including a position of power in Uefa [on the executive committee]. Qatar Airways are sponsoring Fifa. So, where people look for leverage, some of the potentially positive levers to support action on human rights are captured by the people who come under scrutiny.”

This is all why it’s so difficult for clubs, even if they had a will. They’re locked in by so many gold-plated layers, that more than anything else points to how enmeshed the game is in all of the issues of geopolitics.

The only parties who can really change things won’t or can’t because of various pressures.

It is after all putting a lot of responsibility on any club to break from the game’s way of doing things.

That is even more pronounced in the international game because of the greater directness of Fifa’s influence, where their main event is the be-all and end-all.

One source points to how there was a move in 2014 to get the biggest federations – including England and Germany – to try and combat Fifa corruption by boycotting the World Cup. It was virtually a non-starter. Too many vested interests. And no one wants to strike out on their own.

This is partly why boycotts are so few and far between, and why there are fair questions over whether they work at all.

The most famous and successful, the boycott of apartheid South Africa, was far from even sport on its own.

“It was part of a wider set of political and economic sanctions against the country,” Lynch explains. “So it wasn’t sport in isolation. It was part of an international community position of isolation. That was critical.

“The other element is it was directed against a series of egregious policies that were quite specific. You could almost determine ‘here are the things you need to change’.”

“It needs to be accompanied with kind of a clear explanation, and part of a wider approach. This isn’t me saying ‘don’t boycott things’. It isn’t enough to go, ‘a boycott won’t change things, I’ll just go’. If you’re going to take part in an event – and it could be Qatar, the Bahrain grand prix, Saudi Arabia – use your influence positively. Talk about what’s happening.”

That, for their part, is undeniably what Liverpool are doing. They deserve praise for that.