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2 Dec 2024

Qatar & Saudi Arabia: FIFA “plumbed new depths”, with Qatar 2022 remedy report, "shameful" legacy fund, and "whitewash" Saudi 2034 bid evaluation, says CSOs; incl. co comments

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FIFA Qatar World Cup countdown clock, Doha
As expected, FIFA’s evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid is an astonishing whitewash of the country’s atrocious human rights record. There are no meaningful commitments that will prevent workers from being exploited, residents from being evicted or activists from being arrested
Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Labour Rights and Sport

Two years after the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Amnesty International has criticised as "shameful" a World Cup legacy fund made available by FIFA which the football governing body says will be invested in social programmes across regions, in collaboration with Qatar, the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, and the United Nations Refugee Agency.

FIFA has called the initiative "groundbreaking", while Amnesty International has said the legacy fund does not recognise FIFA's "clear responsibility" to remedy harms caused in preparation for the World Cup, particularly for estimates of thousands of migrant workers whose labour was exploited to build infrastructure needed for Qatar to host the tournament.

In the same week, FIFA released a report by the Sub-Committee on Human Rights & Social Responsibility on “remedy and legacy for workers in the context of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022”. The report includes a study by the consultancy group Human Level suggesting FIFA has a responsibility to compensate migrant workers for abuses suffered due to the 2022 World Cup. As noted by several human rights organisations and unions, including Amnesty International, Building and Wood Workers International, and FairSquare, the report contrasts with FIFA’s launch of the Legacy Fund, which allegedly provides no remedy for workers.

FIFA has also published its evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid. Amnesty International have described the evaluation as an “astonishing whitewash” of the country’s poor human rights record. The bid states the tournament has a “medium risk” for human rights, and that the World Cup could “contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people in Saudi Arabia and the region”. This contrasts with previous research by civil society organisations, including Amnesty International and FairSquare, which found serious risks of human rights abuses in the country. FairSquare notes the evaluation relies “heavily” on an assessment produce by Clifford Chance, which has been critiqued by civil society organisations as deeply flawed.

It is absurd: FIFA recognizes the harm caused and acknowledges its human rights obligations but refuses to allocate resources to remedy injustices or prevent future harm...A legacy fund that excludes workers is no legacy at all. FIFA’s double standard - recognizing responsibility while doing nothing to act on it - is both inconsistent and deeply unjust.
Ambet Yuson, BWI General Secretary

Ahead of the World Cup, Amnesty International and a coalition of NGOs called on FIFA to remedy harms caused in preparation for the sporting event. FIFA did not respond to the BBC when presented with Amnesty International's criticism.

A FIFA spokesperson told Forbes that "all reports and recommendations were considered during a comprehensive review by the FIFA administration and relevant bodies. While all recommendations could not be met, practical and impactful elements were retained. It should be noted that the study did not specifically constitute a legal assessment of the obligation to remedy...The creation of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Legacy Fund was unanimously endorsed by the FIFA Council following a proposal made by the FIFA Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee. A Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund was established in Qatar in 2018, and FIFA believes the new Legacy Fund, endorsed by recognised international agencies, is a pragmatic and transparent initiative that will encompass social programmes to help people most in need across the world.”

FIFA has plumbed new depths this week. Its $50 million Qatar 2022 ‘legacy fund’ offers nothing for the workers who suffered building the tournament, completely ignoring the advice of its own expert human rights report.
James Lynch, FairSquare co-director

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