The human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses the world football association FIFA of violating its own rules when awarding world championships.
Above all, the organization criticized the fact that the 2034 World Cup would almost certainly go to Saudi Arabia. HRW also sees problems for the 2030 tournament, which will most likely be held in six countries.
“Almost a year after the human rights disasters at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA has not learned the lesson that awarding multi-billion dollar events without due care and transparency risks corruption and serious human rights violations.”said Minky Wordendirector of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch: “The possibility that FIFA would award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup, despite the country’s appalling human rights record and reluctance to control, exposes FIFA’s human rights commitments as a window dressing.”
FIFA should announce the tender for the 2034 World Cup “Keep an open mind and apply the same human rights standards to all applicants before the selection”, Human Rights Watch demanded, citing FIFA’s human rights policy adopted in 2017. Article 7 states: “FIFA will work constructively with relevant authorities and other stakeholders and make every effort to fulfill its international human rights responsibilities.”
Situation in Saudi Arabia “terrifying”
According to FIFA’s Human Rights Statutes, countries applying to host competitions must commit to complying with strict human and labor rights standards. In the case of Saudi Arabia, the human rights situation is “terrifying”noted Human Rights Watch and referred, among other things, to “Mass executions, the continued suppression of women’s rights under the male guardianship system and the murder of hundreds of migrants on 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.
HRW sees problems in everyone candidate countries for 2030
It also happens in each of the host nations of the World Cup after next “serious human rights violations”HRW explained in a statement, citing as an example the kissing scandal involving the Spanish association president Luis Rubiales, who has since resigned.
Spain, Portugal and Morocco have applied for the 2030 World Cup. Individual games will also be played in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Shortly after it became clear that the 2034 World Cup could only be held in Asia and Oceania due to FIFA’s rolling system, Sausi Arabia officially applied. A number of associations immediately announced their support.
The 2030 and 2034 tournaments will not be officially awarded until the second half of 2024.