Saudi Arabia’s tourism board withdraws sponsorship of Women’s World Cup

by time news

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The FIFA boss announced on Thursday that there would be no Saudi sponsor for the 2023 Women’s World Cup (July 20-August 20). An announcement immediately welcomed by the organizing countries, Australia and New Zealand, a headwind since the revelation of negotiations with Saudi Arabia.

No Saudi sponsor for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Fifa President Gianni Infantino announced Thursday (March 16) that the Saudi Arabian tourist board had withdrawn financial support for the event as the Organizing countries, Australia and New Zealand, had protested against such a project carried by a country with a questionable record in terms of women’s rights.

“There were discussions with ‘Visit Saudi’, but in the end it didn’t lead to a contract,” Gianni Infantino told a press conference after his re-election as head of Fifa.

“Nothing objectionable”

“It was a storm in a teacup,” he continued, referring to the reactions, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, to the announcement in February that the tournament could have a Saudi partner.

New Zealand and Australia then demanded “urgently” responses from Fifa, the New Zealand federation even saying it was “shocked and disappointed” that Fifa did not consult it.

“Fifa is an organization made up of 211 national federations, there is nothing reprehensible in accepting partnerships from Saudi Arabia, China, the United States, Brazil or India,” insisted Thursday Gianni Infantino.

>> To read also: “Cristiano Ronaldo, bridgehead of the crazy sporting ambitions of Saudi Arabia”

The Australian and New Zealand football federations welcomed FIFA’s announcement.

“We welcome the clarification by Fifa regarding Visit Saudi,” Football Australia boss James Johnson said in a statement. “Equality, diversity and inclusion are very important commitments for Football Australia,” he added.

“We believe it is essential that all commercial partnerships align with the vision and values ​​of the tournaments in which they are involved,” said New Zealand Football.

“Women deserve more, much more”

The president of Fifa also indicated that the bonuses allocated to players and the compensation paid to clubs for the 2023 World Cup had tripled compared to the 2019 edition (50 million dollars) to reach 152 million dollars.

However, he strongly criticized the TV broadcasters, who were not enthusiastic about the idea of ​​broadcasting the Women’s World Cup: “If they offer us 100 million (of dollars) for the Men’s World Cup, they offer us a million (of dollars) or less for the women’s tournament, and at the same time, these broadcasters are criticizing Fifa for the equality between men and women for the bonuses”, he underlined.

“You can offer 20% less or even 50% less, but not 100% less, women deserve more, much more, and we are here to fight alongside them,” he said.

With AFP

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