Amnesty International has called on FIFA to “halt” the 2034 World Cup bidding process, currently geared towards Saudi Arabia as the leading candidate, due to human rights concerns in the country. In a statement, the organization noted that Saudi Arabia has an alarming record in terms of labor rights, civil liberties and minority rights, against a backdrop of allegations of construction abuses and discriminatory treatment of women and LGBTI people. In this regard, it should be noted that Saudi Arabia is developing a project called ‘Vision 2030’ whereby it organizes and sponsors large-scale sporting events, something that has served to show progress in certain areas of human rights, although this progress is still considered limited.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have highlighted that migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, as was the case in Qatar prior to the 2022 World Cup, are vulnerable to abusive practices such as withholding wages, unsafe working conditions and control of their immigration status through the sponsorship or ‘kafala’ system that limits their freedom of movement. In 2022, the organization had already harshly criticized FIFA when it was shown that the awarding of Qatar was affected by bribery, in addition to exposing the exploitative conditions faced by thousands of migrant workers to build the infrastructure for the tournament. According to Amnesty, this is a repeating pattern, and FIFA should ensure that candidate countries comply with strict regulations before they are selected.
FIFA AND COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS
Andrea Florence, director of the Sports & Rights Alliance, a consortium of organizations including Amnesty, has stressed that FIFA must include binding human rights commitments as a condition for any country bidding to host a World Cup. This involves not only protecting local workers and communities, but also avoiding discrimination against minority groups, women and the LGBTI community. In addition, the organization has suggested that these commitments should be monitored by an independent entity to oversee their effective and sustained implementation, especially in countries with a history of repression and lack of freedom of expression.
THE DANGER OF ‘SPORTWASHING’
Amnesty International has emphasized that, if FIFA does not seriously address these risks, it is compromising the integrity of the event and encouraging “sportswashing,” a strategy used by some governments to improve their international image through sporting investment. According to the organization, this is an opportunity for FIFA to demonstrate a real commitment to human rights, beyond the financial benefits, avoiding a repeat of the problems already seen in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia has stepped up its involvement in global sport, investing in multiple international events as part of its ‘Vision 2030’ strategy to diversify its economy and improve its international image. The country hosts major competitions such as the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the Saudi International golf tournament. It has also gained notoriety in the world of soccer after acquiring Newcastle United and attracting well-known footballers such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to play in its local league. In tennis, it organizes high-profile exhibition tournaments, and has ambassadors such as Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who have participated in sports and commercial activities in the region.
PROGRESS IN HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT…
Since Saudi Arabia began organizing and sponsoring large-scale sporting events, the country has shown progress in certain areas of human rights, although this progress is still considered limited and is under observation by international bodies. In the area of women’s rights, one of the most significant advances was the removal of some restrictions on their participation in public life: in recent years, Saudi women have been allowed to attend sporting events in stadiums, obtain driver’s licenses and access new employment sectors, which represents a significant change from the rigid gender segregation of the past.
Saudi Arabia has also implemented reforms to reduce discrimination in the workplace and introduced greater oversight of working conditions for migrant workers, in response to criticism that arose in preparation for major sporting events. These reforms include reducing the ‘kafala’ (labor sponsorship) system, which historically limited the freedoms of foreign workers, now facilitating labor mobility and reducing extreme dependence on their employers. However, human rights groups, such as Amnesty International, warn that these advances are still far from guaranteeing equal rights in all aspects of Saudi life and note that restrictions on freedom of expression continue, as well as the persecution of activists. Overall, the changes made represent steps towards openness, but remain insufficient to meet international human rights standards.
