Twenty organizations defending human rights, including Amnesty International, have criticized the choice of Saudi Arabia as the venue for the 2034 World Cup. In their opinion, this decision means “putting many lives in danger” because FIFA It has not been ensured that the host country “has the necessary protections for human rights.” In this sense, they describe the resolution of the highest regulatory body of world football as “reckless.”
Among the associations that have signed the manifesto there are also organizations of the Saudi diaspora, groups of workers from Nepal and Kenya, international unions and representatives of fans and groups for the defense of human rights.
Steve Cockburn, Director of Labor Rights and Sport at Amnesty International, said: “Based on clear evidence to date, FIFA knows that if fundamental reforms are not carried out in Saudi Arabia, workers will be exploited and even killed. ”.
For this reason, he reproached them for “having continued without taking this into account.” In this sense, he has warned that “the organization runs the risk of having a significant responsibility for the numerous human rights abuses that will be committed.”
Cockburn added that “at every stage of this adjudication process, FIFA has shown that its commitment to human rights is a farce.” The head of Labor Rights and Sport at Amnesty International recalls that FIFA’s “constant lack of compensation” for migrant workers who were “exploited” in Qatar “generates little confidence that the lessons learned have been learned.”
From this perspective, they demand that the organization chaired by Gianni Infantino “urgently change course” and “guarantee that the World Cup is accompanied by extensive reforms in Saudi Arabia.” Otherwise, “they risk linking a decade of exploitation, discrimination and repression with their star tournament.”
The Director of Monitoring and Advocacy at ALQST for Human Rights, Lina Alhathloul, has highlighted that the decision has been adopted “based on a presentation riddled with defects, which eludes collaboration with external stakeholders and even with the Saudi population itself.”
From the Nepalese network of migrant workers, Bhim Shrestha has stated that they suffer “serious exploitation” and that their “vulnerability is often overlooked.” “Our lives matter, we fear for the lives of thousands of people who are in danger and FIFA should not look the other way,” he stated.
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