FIFA, the governing body for world football, is facing serious allegations about human rights abuses. A group of lawyers have sent an official complaint to FIFA alleging that the organisation has breached its own human rights rules in allowing Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 men’s world cup. And, Human Rights Watch (HRW) have also written to FIFA to express concern over the US’ record on human rights with North American countries the US, Canada, and Mexico set to host.
Both the 2018 world cup in Russia and the 2022 world cup in Qatar faced similar protests over human rights. However, the last world cup in 2022 saw racist and lazy journalism from Western outlets who were all too eager to sleepwalk into caricatures of Arab nations as backwards and uncivilised.
It’s entirely possible – and, in fact, necessary – to criticise Arab nations for human rights violations without veering into racist reporting. And, in a similar vein, HRW’s attention on the US is an important part of the ongoing discussion over how FIFA allocates world cup hosting duties.
Questions for FIFA
In their letter to FIFA, HRW set out their assessment of the impact of Donald Trump’s horrific immigration policies. They write:
Since its return to office, the administration of President Donald Trump has implemented or is planning policies that fundamentally undermine the inclusive spirit of the World Cup and the non-discrimination policies under FIFA’s Statutes.
In a damning list of immigration concerns HRW explain that the US’ travel restrictions could affect people “from as many as 43 countries.” And, transphobic immigration policies mean that:
New visa practices require applicants—including athletes and tourists—to disclose their sex assigned at birth and only recognize binary sex categories, discriminating against and erasing transgender identities and leaving gender non-binary individuals without appropriate options.
HRW also cite the US’ detainment of international students, the wrongful deportation of legal US residents, and the hostile environment for refugees. HRW find that:
These policies would directly affect the World Cup in ways that contravene FIFA’s human rights responsibilities.
Crucially, even if people trying to enter the US for the world cup – including fans and players – they may still be stopped:
Even with proper visa documentation and tickets to attend World Cup events, players and fans face potential detention, interrogation, and humiliation at US borders, including being screened for social media posts or even denied entry for expressing opinions on Trump administration policies in private messages. This would be a violation of the right to free expression.
Migrants rights
HRW have also set out damning evidence of the deterioration of migrant workers rights in Saudi Arabia, who are currently preparing to host the FIFA 2034 world cup. HRW found that:
Scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia have died in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation.
These workers are largely South Asian and African.
The deputy Middle East director at HRW, Michael Page, said:
The gruesome workplace accidents killing migrant workers in Saudi Arabia should be a huge red flag for businesses, football fans, and sports associations seeking to partner with FIFA on the 2034 Men’s World Cup and other Saudi ‘giga-projects.
Page is referring to the huge number of migrant workers deaths in Saudi Arabia which are not investigated or categorised as ‘natural.’ So much so that Fairsquare, another rights organisation, have found that:
there is a critical absence of effective policies and processes to determine the cause of migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia, and concluded that the surge of construction associated with projects such as NEOM and the 2034 men’s World Cup will in all likelihood lead to thousands of unexplained deaths of low-paid foreign workers in the country.
Now, a group of layers have filed an official complaint which, as the Guardian reported, highlights five particular areas of concern:
The five areas outlined relate to freedom of expression and association; arbitrary arrests, mistreatment and the death penalty; judicial independence; migrants’ rights; and women’s rights.
The complaint also alleges that FIFA have already been warned about the degradation of human rights and have done nothing:
To date there is no evidence that such steps have been initiated, let alone that FIFA has any intention of doing so. This complaint highlights these failings so that they can be rectified without delay.
Dismissed
Similarly, FIFA have not publicly responded to HRW’s letter on its concerns over rights in the US. However, POLITICO have seen descriptions of FIFA president Gianni Infantino addressing the claims. POLITICO report:
In his remarks to FIFA’s top brass, described to POLITICO, Infantino went on to disparage the media for its coverage of a World Cup organizing summit in Washington this week attended by Trump and senior members of the U.S. government.
Infantino said he was amused at press reports of the taskforce meeting that questioned whether the White House’s strict border rules would be eased for traveling supporters.
Infantino’s response is typical of FIFA: dismissive and not concerned about rights as much as they are about money. In 2015 nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives were indicted by the US Department of Justice for:
racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses.
Football writer Martin Samuel had a blistering indictment of FIFA and Infantini’s greed:
They do not care. That’s the nub of it. Not about the game, not about the consequences, not even about the show, given how they will corrupt it for money.Every now and then, FIFA conducts some public travesty like the supine award of the World Cup to Saudi Arabia and, momentarily, the world takes notice. Yet these sell-outs, this corruption, unfolds daily just as the order of business.
