2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, the world of rights protests – Football

Spain, Portugal e Morocco will host the Football World Cup 2030: it was announced by Fifa during the video conference conference that took place today. For the 2030 edition, three of the first matches will take place in South America (Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay). The assignment of 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabiaalready in the air and now official, instead raises protests from associations that have been fighting for years for the affirmation of civil and workers’ rights in the kingdom: from Amnesty International a Shramik Sanjala migrant worker network based in Nepal, up to Alqts for Human Rightsnetwork for the rights of Saudis in the diaspora.

The World Cup in Arabia

48 teams will participate in the World Cup in Arabia, with 104 matches scheduled. The Saudi royal family is set to spend tens of billions of dollars on projects related to the event as part of a larger project, ‘Vision 2030,’ which aims to modernize Saudi society and economy.

Amnesty: “Fifa’s irresponsible decision”

Amnesty International’s statement reads: “Today’s confirmation that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup, despite the well-known and serious risks to residents, migrant workers and fans attending, marks a moment of great danger. It should also mark a time of change. As global and regional human rights organizations, trade unions, fan groups and organizations representing migrant workers, many of us have long highlighted the serious risks of hosting major sporting events in Saudi Arabia. By awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without adequate protections, FIFA has today decided to ignore our warnings and abandon its human rights policies.”

“Reforms for Human Rights”

Amnesty’s note continues with an appeal: “Fifa can never claim to be unaware of the severity of the risks associated with hosting its main event in a country with such weak human rights protections. Nor can the national football associations that voted in favor of this decision say so. Today, there is no shortage of evidence of migrant workers being exploited and victims of racism, activists sentenced to decades in prison for peacefully expressing their opinions, women and LGBTQIA+ people subjected to legalized discrimination, or residents forcibly evicted to make room for state projects . It is clear that, without urgent action and comprehensive reform, the 2034 World Cup will be marked by large-scale repression, discrimination and exploitation.”

“No guarantees for workers and residents”

Another aspect that Amnesty highlights is, according to the association, the lack of guarantees regarding the respect of the workers who will be involved in the event: “Fifa has long accepted its clear responsibility, in line with international standards on human rights , to prevent and mitigate human rights violations and abuses related to its activities, as well as to provide remedies for those to which it has contributed. With today’s decision, despite the known risks, FIFA will assume great responsibility for much of what follows. In the process of awarding the 2034 World Cup, FIFA’s human rights policies have been exposed for what they are: a farce. Without competitive bidding, there was little chance of bids being rejected, regardless of the quality of the human rights strategy or the severity of the risk. There have been no consultations with those likely to be affected by the tournament, nor have specific or binding measures been agreed to ensure compliance with international labor standards or broader human rights reforms,” the statement reads.

“Let us act to protect human rights”

Finally, Amnesty calls on all entities and companies that will work for the World Cup to work together to guarantee rights: “Together, we will continue to defend the rights of everyone in Saudi Arabia and beyond – migrant workers, residents, citizens, players, fans , activists or journalists – who could be affected by the 2034 World Cup. While the Saudi population undoubtedly deserves to experience the joy that international sport can bring, this cannot happen at any price. It must be accompanied by measures that guarantee the rights that their government continues to deny them. Over the next decade, we will mobilize the international human rights community to ensure that violations and abuses related to this World Cup are not ignored, and to demand the fundamental changes needed to protect lives and expand freedoms. The Saudi authorities, FIFA, national football associations, FIFA sponsors and companies involved in the World Cup – or who profit hugely from it – all have human rights obligations and responsibilities, and we will strive to hold them accountable.” .

The Saudis of Alqts for Human Rights: “Disheartening decision”

A harsh criticism of the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia also comes from Lina Alhathloul, responsible for monitoring and advocacy at Alqts for Human Rights, a Saudi diaspora human rights organization, who said: “It is discouraging , although not surprising, that FIFA awarded Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi Arabia the right to host the World Cup on the basis of a deeply flawed bid, which avoided the involvement of external stakeholders and the Saudi population itself. Now that the decision is made, urgent and continued action is needed to mitigate the serious risks of civil and workers’ rights violations related to the tournament, including through credible and meaningful reforms.”

Migrant workers network: “Let those who work be protected”

Bhim Shresthaco-founder of Shramik Sanjal, a migrant worker network based in Nepal, adds: “We migrant workers suffer severe exploitation and our vulnerability is often ignored. Our lives matter – we fear for our migrant brothers and sisters who are at risk. FIFA cannot continue to turn a blind eye; the lives of migrants require accountability and justice.”