After the harsh criticism of a possible commitment, the Saudi Arabian tourism authority will not appear as a sponsor of the world association FIFA at the women’s soccer World Cup in the summer.
The World Cup tournament will be held from July 20th to August 20th. “There were talks, but it didn’t come to a contract. It was a storm in a teacup”said FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday (March 16, 2023) at the FIFA Congress in Kigali.
Infantino shows no understanding
Because of severely restricted women’s rights, Saudi Arabia is in the pillory internationally, too Amnesty International warns again and again “sports washing“. In addition to the World Cup hosts Australia and New Zealand, numerous players had spoken out against the donors from Saudi Arabia.
Infantino has little sympathy for the criticism leveled at FIFA in relation to sponsors from undemocratic countries. In business, trade with companies from these countries is not a problem, at FIFA one thing is made of it: “That’s a double standard.”