The human rights organization Human Rights Watch accuses the world football association FIFA of breaking its own rules in light of the awarding of the 2030 World Cup to six countries and the upcoming tournament four years later in Saudi Arabia. There are “serious human rights violations” in each of the host nations of the World Cup after next, HRW explained in a statement, citing the kissing scandal involving Spanish association president Luis Rubiales as an example.
Above all, the organization criticized the fact that the 2034 World Cup will almost certainly go to Saudi Arabia, which announced its bid shortly after awarding the tournament in seven years to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and individual games to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
“Eyewashing” by FIFA
“Almost a year after the human rights disasters at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA has failed to learn the lesson that awarding multi-billion dollar events without due diligence and transparency risks corruption and serious human rights violations,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch: “The possibility that FIFA would award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup, despite the country having an appalling human rights record and a lack of oversight, exposes FIFA’s human rights commitments as a window dressing.”
FIFA should keep the bid for the 2034 World Cup “open and apply the same human rights standards to all applicants before selection,” Human Rights Watch said, citing FIFA’s human rights policy adopted in 2017.
Article 7 states: “FIFA will cooperate constructively with relevant authorities and other stakeholders and make every effort to fulfill its international human rights responsibilities.” According to FIFA’s human rights statutes, countries interested in hosting competitions must apply, oblige them to comply with strict human and labor rights standards.
A comment by Christopher Meltzer Published/Updated: Recommendations: 22 Niklas Záboji, Paris Published/Updated: , A comment by Anno Hecker Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 22
In the case of Saudi Arabia, the human rights situation is “appalling,” Human Rights Watch noted, citing, among other things, “mass executions, the continued suppression of women’s rights under the male guardianship system, and the murder of hundreds of migrants at the Saudi-Yemeni border “. In addition, government critics would be tortured and imprisoned, and sex outside of marriage and same-sex relationships would be punished with the death penalty.
