Soccer-Australia players union slams FIFA over 2034 Saudi World Cup

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia’s professional soccer players union has condemned the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, saying significant human rights risks are attached to the tournament while questioning FIFA’s ability to prevent harm from occurring.

FIFA officially awarded the World Cup to the kingdom on Wednesday with the sole bid for the tournament confirmed by acclamation.

Professional Footballers Australia boss Beau Busch said it was crucial for the international soccer community to hold FIFA accountable for the decision.

“The significant human rights risks linked to this tournament are well-documented,” Busch said in a statement emailed to Reuters on Thursday.

“By securing hosting rights to the global game’s most prestigious event, Saudi Arabia and FIFA must ensure the rights of everyone affected by the 2034 Men’s World Cup are upheld and safeguarded.

“However, FIFA’s ongoing governance failures and lack of accountability to its own human rights commitments leave no assurance that harm can or will be prevented.”

The Saudi government communications office and FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.

FIFA’s decision has drawn criticism from an array of organisations including migrant workers groups, trade unions and LGBT activists concerned about the kingdom’s human rights record.

Saudi Arabia confirmed its bid last year within minutes of FIFA announcing 2034 would be hosted in Asia or Oceania.

FIFA set a deadline of less than four weeks for nations to lodge rival bids.

Though the Asian Football Confederation threw its support behind Saudi Arabia, Football Australia (FA) explored making a joint bid with Indonesia before deciding against it.

Australia’s players were critical of 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar, with the men’s team releasing a video calling out the Gulf state’s record on human rights and same-sex relationships.

Football Australia backed the players’ stance on Qatar and later objected to Saudi Arabian sponsorship of the 2023 Women’s World Cup following reports the kingdom’s government tourism agency would be a major sponsor of the tournament.

However, FA joined the majority of international football associations in showing support for the kingdom’s 2034 bid.

“Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a strong commitment to hosting a world-class tournament and we remain confident in FIFA’s frameworks and the FIFA World Cup’s capacity for positive change,” FA said in a statement to Reuters.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)