April 2022
As World Cup nears, Qatar and FIFA face fresh scrutiny on press freedom commitments
Exactly one year before the scheduled start of the 2022 football World Cup in Qatar, plainclothes officers from the Gulf state’s Criminal Investigations Department arrested Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani, a sports reporter and cameraman respectively for Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, as they were leaving their hotel in the capital of Doha. The NRK journalists […]
Statement from TAOS Founder Grace French on FBI Claim
On Thursday, April 21, it was announced 13 survivors are suing the FBI for its failure to properly investigate abuse allegations against Larry Nassar. Survivor and TAOS Founder Grace French spoke at a press conference; her statement is below: My name is Grace French and I am founder and president of the Army of Survivors. […]
European Commission published high-level group’s recommendations to achieve gender equality in sport
The high-level group on gender equality in sport, has put forward an action plan and recommendations to achieve a more equitable gender balance in sport. These have been addressed to the European Commission, EU Member States, national and international sports bodies as well as grassroots organisations. The high-level group was established by Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner […]
10 Questions Journalists Should Ask FIFA and Qatari Authorities About Rights Abuses
When FIFA convenes its 72nd Congress in Doha, Qatar, on March 31, 2022, in preparation for the World Cup, journalists, football associations, fans, and others should press both FIFA officials and Qatari authorities about human rights in the Gulf state, particularly the rights of migrant workers, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Since 2010, […]
Qatar: Security guards subjected to forced labour
Security guards in Qatar are working in conditions which amount to forced labour, including on projects linked to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Amnesty International has found. In a new report, They think that we’re machines, the organization documented the experiences of 34 current or former employees of eight private security companies in Qatar. The security guards, all migrant […]
Iranian Society Pushes for End to Stadium Ban
Women Have a Right to Attend Sporting Events Iranian authorities once again prevented women and girls from entering a sports stadium. Iran’s football team played Lebanon in a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying match in the city of Mashhad last week. But authorities prevented dozens of women who had reportedly purchased tickets for from entering the stadium. Additionally, […]
