In a letter to FIFA President, Wyden and Durbin said, “Approving Saudi Arabia’s bid this December endangers workers, athletes, tourists, and members of the press, and it runs counter to FIFA’s own human rights policies.”
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., today called on Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to select a 2034 World Cup host country with a record of upholding human rights, as human rights watchdogs continue sounding the alarm on Saudi Arabia’s deteriorating human rights conditions.
“The Saudi regime has long violated human rights and has made no progress toward meaningful reform and accountability. The Kingdom continues to torture dissidents, engage in extrajudicial killings, discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community, oppress women and religious minorities, exploit and abuse foreign workers, and restrict almost all political rights and civil liberties. In fact, Saudi Arabia hit a new record high in annual executions this year,” wrote Wyden and Durbin to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Further, the Saudi government has continued to crack down on media, labor unions, civil societies, and more. If Saudi Arabia assumes the responsibilities of hosting the World Cup, these human rights abuses are sure to escalate throughout the planning, execution, and conclusion of the tournament.
The senators argued that FIFA knows firsthand from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar what is at stake when countries with a track record of human rights abuses are hosting, and that approving Saudi Arabia’s uncontested bid would run contrary to FIFA’s own human rights requirements for host countries, including engaging with human rights stakeholders and permitting independent media. The Saudi government has not mentioned any human rights partnerships to ensure basic standards at the 2034 World Cup. In addition, the Saudi government has failed to answer how it will uphold labor protections, press freedoms, and non-discrimination and inclusion standards.
“While FIFA appears poised to confirm Saudi Arabia’s bid on December 11, your organization has a responsibility to uphold and promote human rights. We strongly urge FIFA to take all steps necessary to thoroughly re-evaluate Saudi Arabia’s ill-equipped World Cup bid ahead of December and select a rights-respecting host country for World Cup 2034,” the senators concluded.
The text of the letter is here.
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