FIFA was asked once more on Friday to let independent examination of the kingdom’s human rights commitments for the 2034 World Cup, two months before the soccer organization is scheduled to certify Saudi Arabia as the host nation.
A group of human rights and legal professionals, along with Saudi activists abroad, are pushing FIFA to require periodic assessments — as well as a possible termination provision — in the hosting contract for the 2034 World Cup.
The advisors, who traveled to Zurich on Friday, want Saudi soccer and political figures close to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to take note of how Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup. FIFA’s then-leaders gave little consideration to reputational risks and legal protections when Qatar won in 2010.
Like Qatar, Saudi Arabia has a historically conservative population, so building stadiums and other infrastructure for the world soccer championship will need a massive construction project involving migrant labor.
The Associated Press was informed by British attorney Rodney Dixon that “there really are no excuses now.” “They should take that action if it means they need to reach a different kind of agreement in December.”
Following the decision made by more than 200 FIFA member federations at an online meeting on December 11, World Cup hosting contracts will be signed. There is only one contender for 2034: Saudi Arabia.
Dixon remarked, “We are not naive,” and vowed not to oppose FIFA. FIFA is not here to make the world a better place. They are not the United Nations.
The briefing in FIFA’s home city came two days after the UN General Assembly in New York rejected a Saudi bid to get a seat on the 47-nation Human Rights Council for the next three years.
FIFA has been criticized for its human rights strategy in Saudi Arabia, which has been a subject of scrutiny since the election of FIFA’s new president, Infantino. The country has been accused of limiting women’s freedoms and labor rights, as well as promoting male guardianship. FIFA has demanded a human rights strategy from future World Cup hosts, but bid rules for the 2030 and 2034 men’s tournaments focus on activities related to bidding and hosting rather than wider society rights.
In May, FIFA received an offer from law and human rights experts to create an independent process for monitoring progress in Saudi Arabia. However, this was ignored, and Saudi plans for the World Cup were published in July.
Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea reported grave labor violations against migrant workers, who number over 13 million, or about 40% of the kingdom’s population. The scale of construction required for the World Cup and potential for labor abuses are chilling, and rights groups have limited access to Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
Saudi soccer officials have consistently stated that the kingdom is making progress on social reforms as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 drive to modernize and create a post-oil economy.
FIFA is evaluating World Cup bidders and must assess the human rights strategy of co-hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with single games in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. FIFA and Infantino have not held a news conference to take any questions on World Cup bids since the 2034 edition was fast-tracked toward Saudi Arabia one year ago.
(AP)
