Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia has officially been named the hosting country for the 2034 FIFA World Cup which will solidify its status as a sports hub, but the move has been vehemently criticized by human rights agencies, which raised red flags to potential human rights abuses along with the “unimaginable human cost” of holding the event.
The decision was agreed on by FIFA on Tuesday after a largely uncontested kingdom bid. Saudi Arabia, mainly has been showering a lot on sports under crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 has been part of a wider plan to foster a new source of revenue based not only on oil which is depleting assets but on sports to also elevate the status of the sovereignty globally.
“Saudi Arabia and the Arab region have achieved a historic success in hosting the World Cup,” said Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sports. ”We will ensure that we host a revolutionary tournament that brings people together and presents a true face of our nation and our warm hospitality”.
Some public and international human rights organizations have raised concern over Saudi Arabia’s previous treatment of things such as Freedom of speech, women, and immigrants. Global human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have released press releases demanding FIFA guarantee that the tournament is not hosted at the cost of basic human rights.
Amnesty International’s secretary general Agnès Callamard warned that the rightful excitement about staging this global sporting event should not make Saudi Arabia lose sight of its poor human rights records. >We already know that enormous-scale projects in the Gulf area have previous records linked with the exploitation of the working force and curbing of the voices of dissent. If there were no safety valves, then the World Cup may well turn into a monstrous point where all this abuse could be carried out.
The kingdom has received similar flak for its hosting of other high-profile events such as Formula 1 races and boxing matches. Reformations such as ending the ban on women driving and easing up some restrictions on entertainment hardly help to counteract some of the major issues with systemic treatment of political dissidents and lack of freedom in the press.
According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, “The World Cup is an opportunity for dialogue, development, and progress. We believe in the power of football to bring about positive change.”
As preparations begin, the spotlight will remain on Saudi Arabia’s ability to balance its ambitions with the global demand for improved human rights. Human rights advocates have called on FIFA and the international community to hold the kingdom accountable in the years leading up to the tournament.
