December 12 – In a joint statement, 22 organisations from human rights bodies to trade unions and fan groups, have condemned FIFA’s award of 2034 World Cup hosting to Saudi Arabia saying that it “marks a moment of great danger”.
The statement says: “It is evident that without urgent action and comprehensive reforms, the 2034 World Cup will be tarnished by repression, discrimination and exploitation on a massive scale.”
Just as a cloud hung over the hosting of the Qatar 2022 World Cup and re-emerged around FIFA’s announcement of a Qatar 2022 legacy fund two weeks ago that ignored the human rights issues, so Saudi Arabia 2034 and FIFA look set for another 10 years of scrutiny on issues from migrant worker safety and freedom of movement, to LBGTI inclusion, gender equality and environmental sustainability.
Wherever you look in the panoply of human rights issues, Saudi Arabia’s civil record is poor while FIFA’s actions are similarly dismissive of its own stated policies. The 2034 World Cup hosting, with the world’s attention focussed on the country, could prove the catalyst and “should mark a moment for change”, said the statement. So far there has been no commitment to monitoring of issues from FIFA, despite requests from its Norwegian and Swiss federations, nor has there been any public statement by Saudi Arabia.
FIFA summarily dismissed human rights issues in its painfully skewed bid evaluation, much to the surprise of the world and the shamefully stunned silence of its federations who privately expressed concern but publicly towed the company line.
Law firm Clifford Chance, who conducted a supposedly independent human rights risk assessment, presented a report that was widely ridiculed and while it may have won them business in Saudi, it has damaged their reputation elsewhere.
“Many of us have long highlighted the severe risks posed by Saudi Arabia’s hosting of mega-sporting events. By awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without meaningful protections, FIFA has today decided both to ignore our warnings and discard its own human rights policies,” said the statement.
“FIFA can never claim that it did not know the severity of the risks of hosting its flagship event in a country with such weak human rights protections. Nor can the national Football Associations voting to approve it. Today, there is no shortage of evidence of migrant workers being exploited and subjected to racism, activists sentenced to decades in prison for expressing themselves peacefully, women and LGBTI people facing legalized discrimination, or residents forcibly evicted to make way for state projects.”
The statement recognises FIFA has accepted a “clear responsibility” but paints a picture of FIFA’s executive that is morally bankrupt, has little regard for its own policies and statutes and is unwilling to provide remedy for human rights abuses to which it has contributed
“By pursuing today’s decision regardless of the known risks, FIFA will bear a heavy responsibility for much of what follows,” said the statement.
“In the process of awarding the 2034 World Cup, FIFA’s human rights policies have been exposed as a sham.”
The signatories to the statement say that they will not let the issues quietly be pushed under FIFA’s horribly bumpy carpet.
“In the decade ahead we will mobilize the human rights community across the globe to ensure the violations and abuses of this World Cup are not ignored, and press for the fundamental changes needed to protect lives and expand freedoms. The Saudi authorities, FIFA, national Football Associations, FIFA sponsors and companies involved in the World Cup – or profiting hugely from it – all have human rights obligations and responsibilities, and we will seek to hold them accountable.”
Signatories
- ALQST for Human Rights
- Amnesty International
- Building and Woodworkers International (BWI)
- Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC)
- Equidem
- European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR)
- FairSquare
- Football Supporters Europe (FSE)
- Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
- Human Rights Watch
- ILGA World – The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association
- International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF)
- Jafari Jata Solution, Kenya
- Law and Policy Forum for Social Justice (LAPSOJ), Nepal
- Migrant Defenders Organisation, Kenya
- Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC)
- Migrant-rights.org
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – Africa
- Paurakhi Nepal
- Shramik Sanjal, Nepal
- Solidarity Center (SC)
- Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA)
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1738738272labto1738738272ofdlr1738738272owedi1738738272sni@n1738738272osloh1738738272cin.l1738738272uap1738738272