Saudi Super Cup: Cucchi Criticizes Football’s Political Influence

In sight of the start of the Italian Super Cup football tournament, which will once again take place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabiafrom 18 to 22 December, the journalist Riccardo Cucchihistoric voice of radio broadcasting All the football minute by minute e president of the award Sports and human rights stated:

“Football is hostage to those who want to use it for propaganda purposes. Saudi Arabia, in exchange for money, uses the Italian Super Cup to show a modern face and hide violations of human rights. The Italian teams will go to play in a country that systematically and cruelly uses the death penalty. The third in the world in terms of number of executions. No football manager should have the power to sell the passion of its fans in exchange for money.”

“The human rights situation in Saudi Arabia is extremely negative. Expressing dissent online leads to decades of prison. Human rights organizations are banned and their leaders in prison. The 2034 World Cup risks being played, as in Qatar in 2022, on the backs of migrant workers. In 2025 the record for hangings was broken againat least 340 and the year is not yet over”, recalled Riccardo Noury, spokesperson for Amnesty International Italy.

“The values ​​of solidarity and respect are a fundamental part of sport. Here we are instead at the triumph of sportwashing. After having hired many players and coaches and overpaid them, the Saudi kingdom presents the Italian teams. Italian football is silent on human rights violations and cashes inbut money cannot be the only motivation for a popular sport like football. Furthermore, making the finals of an Italian tournament in Saudi Arabia is not even respectful of the fans of our teams”, commented Luca Musumeci, president of Sport for Society.

Il award Sports and human rights was established in 2019 by Amnesty International and Sport for Society. It is awarded every year to an athlete, club or sports organization who, through symbolic or concrete acts or gestures of great relevance and significance, has taken a stand in favor of human rights.