2023-10-31 16:25:31
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FIFA must make a clear and binding commitment to improve human rights in countries that could host the 2030 and 2034 men’s World Cup tournaments, in order to avoid potential serious abuses related to its main event. This was stated by the Sport & Rights Alliance today.
This warning comes because, shortly before the deadline for submitting bids at midnight tonight, Saudi Arabia is the only country that has applied to host the 2034 tournament, and for 2030 only a joint presentation by Morocco is being considered. , Portugal and Spain. The coalition of human rights and anti-corruption organizations, unions, fan representatives, survivor athlete groups and players’ unions believes that the lack of competition to host the tournaments threatens to undermine FIFA’s influence, and means that It is crucial that football’s global governing body takes the lead and obtains binding human rights guarantees from applicants.
“By leaving only one candidate for each tournament, FIFA may have scored an own goal. FIFA must now make clear how it expects host countries to comply with their human rights policies.. “Furthermore, it must be prepared to stop the nomination process if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed,” said Steve Cockburn, Economic and Social Justice Director at Amnesty International.
“FIFA’s best chance of obtaining binding guarantees to protect labor rights, ensure freedom of expression and prevent discrimination in relation to the World Cup comes during the host country selection process, not after allocations are made.” have been confirmed and preparation for the tournament has begun. Human rights commitments must be agreed with potential hosts before a final decision on hosting the tournaments is made.”
The bidding process for the 2030 World Cup was expected to be officially launched in a FIFA Council meeting in Junebut it was postponed with “the objective of expanding consultations with the main interest groups.”
In a surprise decision on October 4, andThe FIFA Council announced that the only candidacy that would be considered for the 2030 World Cup would be that of Morocco, Portugal and Spainand that a small number of matches would be played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, countries that had previously announced their intention to bid to host the full tournament.
At the same meeting in October, FIFA also unexpectedly announced that the bidding process for the 2034 World Cup would begin immediately, with only bids from Asia and Oceania being considered. Potential candidates were given just 27 days to express their intention, and only Saudi Arabia did so.
“Given the enormous magnitude of the World Cup, there are major human rights risks that must be taken into account in all bids to host this tournament, and there are also opportunities for change that should not be missed,” said Minky Worden, director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch. “FIFA’s human rights policy should not be reduced to a paper text when it comes to choosing the host country of the sporting event with the most spectators in the world.”
An opinion poll of more than 17,000 adults in 15 countries and published by Amnesty International in June showed that the majority of fans wanted human rights standards to be a key consideration when selecting the host country for a major event. sporting event like the World Cup.
“The fact that, in 2010, FIFA did not insist on human rights safeguards when granting Qatar the hosting of the 2022 World Cup is a fundamental reason why serious reforms were so delayed, and implemented and fulfilled generally so weak,” said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. “Now, under its own human rights standards, FIFA must take these lessons seriously and act firmly. “That would be a first step to save the already tarnished reputation of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups before the fans.”
According to guidelines published by FIFAall countries bidding to host the 2030 or 2034 World Cups must commit to “[respetar] “human rights recognized at the international level”and FIFA “requires the implementation of standards regarding human and labor rights by candidate member federations, governments and other entities involved in the organization of competitions.”
As part of their official candidacy, countries must conduct and publish independent human rights risk assessments and present a plan outlining how identified risks will be addressed. Such risks may include, for example, labor rights abuses, forced evictions, discrimination, restrictions on freedom of expression or economic corruption.
It is essential that FIFA ensures that human rights risk assessments are truly independent. In past processes, candidate football associations have been able to propose who carries out these evaluations, thereby exposing the conduct of these evaluations to possible bias or abuse.
If FIFA were to fully implement its own policies, candidatures assessed as “high risk” could theoretically be rejected, or remedial plans could be agreed. In any case, FIFA must ensure continuous dialogue with the Sport & Rights Alliance to identify risks and ways to overcome them.
Among the partners that make up the Sport & Rights Alliance are Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Football Supporters Europe, Human Rights Watch, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), The Army of Survivors and World Players Association, Uni Global Union. As a global coalition of leading NGOs and trade unions, the Sport & Rights Alliance works together to ensure that sports bodies, governments and other relevant stakeholders deliver a world of sport that protects, respects and realizes international standards. of human rights, labor rights, the well-being and protection of children, and the fight against corruption.
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