In a month to the day, on December 11, the International Football Federation (FIFA) is due to meet for an extraordinary congress, with a view to deciding whether to host the 2030 and 2034 men’s World Cups. in either case, only one application. The joint one of Spain, Portugal and Morocco for the first; from Saudi Arabia for the second.
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After the controversies arising from the choice of Russia and then Qatar as host countries for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the competition, the body introduced, into its selection process, criteria relating to human rights: respect for the rights of work to that of freedom of expression, including the fight against discrimination… These criteria are intended to be “fully binding obligations”reaffirmed FIFA in October 2023.
But for the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Amnesty International and Sport & Rights Alliance, the account is still not there: “Neither bid sufficiently explains how host countries will meet the standards (…) set out by FIFA in its tender regulations »they insist in a press release published Monday, November 11.
They thus ask the authority to “condition the attribution” of the 2030 World Cup to the Spain-Morocco-Portugal trio “the development of a much more credible strategy in terms of fundamental rights” and urge him to interrupt the process concerning Saudi Arabia “unless major human rights reforms are announced before the vote”.
“Take responsibility”
In the case of the Gulf kingdom, the risks are described as “treble” by the two organizations, the country being regularly blamed for the severe repression exercised by the government, particularly against freedom of expression.
They alert on the “real and predictable human cost” of holding the event in the country: fans discriminated against, residents forcibly evicted, workers exploited as Saudi Arabia’s bid file outlines ambitious plans to build or renovate eleven stadiums, more than 185,000 additional hotel rooms and major infrastructure projects ranging from transport links to new cities.
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For Spain, Portugal and Morocco, NGOs warn, among other things, against the reduction of affordable housing available for residents of host cities in the first two countries, and against the risks of forced evictions in the third . Also arises, in the case of Morocco, “legislation criminalizing sexual relations between persons of the same sex as well as extramarital relations”.
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“Morocco, Portugal and Spain must take their human rights responsibilities much more seriouslysays Steve Cockburn, head of Amnesty International’s labor law and sport program. The 2030 World Cup offers an opportunity to strengthen rights protections in these three countries, provided that governments and football associations are prepared to work closely with fans, rights organizations, unions and other relevant groups. »
