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Saudi Government Uses European Football to Sportswash its Reputation

Saudi Government Uses European Football to Sportswash its Reputation

Italian, Spanish Super Cups Played in Riyadh to Divert Attention From Abuses Forget Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist brutally murdered in a Saudi consulate, and all his colleagues jailed, censored or harassed in Saudi Arabia; don’t think about women’s and LGBT rights in the kingdom; and ignore the mass killings of migrants along the Saudi border with Yemen. Look, there, Saudi […]

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Rights At Risk As Saudi Arabia ‘Sole Bidder’ To Host 2034 World Cup

Rights At Risk As Saudi Arabia ‘Sole Bidder’ To Host 2034 World Cup

In 2013, then-FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke gave a press conference in which he clarified FIFA’s strategy for choosing World Cup hosts: “I will say something which is crazy, but less democracy is sometimes better for organizing a World Cup. …When you have a very strong head of state who can decide, as maybe Putin can do […]

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Athlete Ally Statement on 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cup Concerns

Athlete Ally Statement on 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cup Concerns

Athlete Ally responded today to news that Saudi Arabia is now the sole bidder for the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup. This follows news that a joint bid from Morocco, Portugal and Spain is the only one being considered for the 2030 Men’s World Cup.  FIFA’s Human Rights Policy, adopted in 2017, outlines its responsibility to identify and address adverse […]

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FIFA Broke Own Human Rights Rules for World Cup Hosts

FIFA Broke Own Human Rights Rules for World Cup Hosts

Saudi Arabia Shouldn’t be Rewarded for Its Repression (New York) – Global soccer governing body FIFA has broken its own human rights rules in announcing a plan for hosting the next two men’s World Cups that effectively eliminates bidding and human rights due diligence, Human Rights Watch said today. On October 4, FIFA announced that the 2030 World Cup will take place in Morocco, Portugal, […]

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FIFA Must Show The Red Card To Sexual Abuse

FIFA Must Show The Red Card To Sexual Abuse

The Goal Is A Safe Place To Work For Women And Teen Players The Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is on track to become the most attended stand-alone women’s sporting event in history as 32 top women’s teams compete for the coveted title of World Champion. What fans of the sport don’t see is […]

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Women’s World Cup Shows Equality Still Has A Long Way To Go

Women’s World Cup Shows Equality Still Has A Long Way To Go

The 2023 Women’s World Cup tournament begins this week to great fanfare and broadcasting revenues estimated at close to $200 million. This is great news for the sport’s global governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)— but not so great for the women players on the field. As a flagship event in women’s sport, the […]

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FIFA: Letter Seeking Update on Safe Sport Entity Status and Timeline

FIFA: Letter Seeking Update on Safe Sport Entity Status and Timeline

(Nyon, Switzerland, July 19, 2023) – FIFA should urgently provide transparent and detailed information on its plans for an Independent Global Safe Sport Entity to address systemic sexual, emotional and physical abuse in sport and provide remedy and support to victims and survivors, the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) said today. In a letter to […]

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“We Have to Empower Each Other”: Consultation With Survivors of Abuse in Sport

“We Have to Empower Each Other”: Consultation With Survivors of Abuse in Sport

Consultation with Survivors of Abuse in Sport Outlines Need for Global Network (Nyon, Switzerland, 16 May, 2023) — Focus group research and trauma-informed interviews with over 25 athlete survivors and representatives of survivor-led organizations have revealed a widespread need for an international network to connect survivors, share experiences, facilitate learning and empower greater advocacy, the […]

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