“Sportswashing” human rights abuses: FIFA and Forced Labour
Mikaela DesLauriers | 19 July 2024
Summary
On 4 October 2023 Saudi Arabia formally submitted its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup under the slogan “Growing Together”.
Despite being the sole bidder for the 2034 games, the oil kingdom's reputation for putting rights at risk may impede or block the FIFA certification.
The kingdom requires an estimated 13.4 million additional migrant workers to build the 14 stadiums needed to host the 48-team tournament in a country that bars labor unions, strikes, and protests.
The 2034 FIFA World Cup bid by Saudi Arabia has raised significant concerns about “sportswashing” human rights abuses. The speed of Saudi Arabia’s successful bid, backed by a potential USD 1 billion sponsorship deal with the state-owned oil company ARAMCO, has intensified international scrutiny of the bid. FIFA’s expedited awarding process, occurring 11 years before the event, contrasts sharply with the organization’s history of protracted investigatory processes.
Beyond FIFA’s expedited timeline for the 2034 games, the organization’s relaxed World Cup stadium policy significantly benefited Saudi Arabia, leading to allegations of a compromised bidding process. Historical context adds to these concerns with previous World Cup bids by Russia and Qatar marred by bribery scandals, contributing to fears of systemic corruption within FIFA.
The forthcoming ARAMCO sponsorship deal, with payments to FIFA potentially reaching $100 million USD annually through 2023, casts a shadow over the integrity of the bidding process. The precise timing of these negotiations remains unclear, fueling speculation about undue influence. FIFA’s decision-making process appears to authoritarian regimes, as highlighted by former convicted FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke’s controversial remarks in 2013, advocating for “less democracy” in host nations to streamline World Cup organization.
Saudi Arabia’s candidacy, amid its well-documented human rights violations, is emblematic of “sportswashing”- a strategy to obscure human rights abuses through the glamour of hosting major sporting events. The kingdom’s track record includes suppression of activists, lack of labor protections, and severe restrictions on civil liberties, including the imprisonments of dissidents and discriminatory laws against laws and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Labor abuses are particularly egregious. Saudi Arabia’s reliance on millions of migrant workers, like Qatar during the 2022 World Cup preparations, raises alarms. In 2022, Qatar simultaneously became the most lucrative and deadliest World Cup ever. Official Qatari statistics report that between 2010-2019 15,021 non-Qataris, predominantly migrant workers, died constructing the USD 220 billion worth of infrastructure. Saudi Arabia requires six times the number of migrant workers to build the proposed 14 stadiums, approved at 10 billion riyals (USD 2.69 billion). Reports from the International Labour Organization (ILO) document rampant wage theft, passport confiscation, and forced labour among the 13.4 million migrant workers, exacerbated by the country’s harsh climate. Urging FIFA to hold Saudi Arabia accountable, Human Rights Watch has called for rigorous enforcements of FIFA’s own human rights policy, which mandates stringent due diligence and stakeholder engagement.
Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup, supported by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, epitomises the troubling nexus of sports and politics. It underscores the urgent need for FIFA to align its actions with its professed commitment to human rights, ensuring that the world’s most celebrated sporting event does not become a platform for legitimising abuses.
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Forecast
Short-term
The likely certification of Saudi Arabia as the 2034 World Cup host is expected to provoke immediate backlash from human rights organizations, media, and international watchdogs, intensifying public protests and campaigns urging FIFA and its sponsors to reconsider. At USD 1.1 million per 30-second commercial, successful international campaigns could lead to financial instability and public relations crises for both FIFA and its partners. Advocacy groups and labour unions may file formal complaints and legal challenges, pressuring adherence to human rights standards, while corporations face potential reputational damage and financial instability from ethical dilemmas and public relations crises.
Medium-Term
International pressure is unlikely to result in substantial human rights or labor reforms in Saudi Arabia, with any changes likely to be superficial, similar to Qatar's response to criticisms. Saudi Arabia will probably continue its "sportswashing" strategy by hosting other major international sporting events to improve its global image, which may mitigate some criticisms but will not eliminate concerns about ongoing abuses. Additionally, the increased visibility could exacerbate geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, as regional rivals exploit the controversy to further their agendas.
Long-Term
Sustained international pressure over the next decade could lead to substantial human rights improvements in Saudi Arabia, though this depends on continued global advocacy and monitoring. FIFA's decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia is likely to cause significant long-term reputational damage, prompting structural and governance reforms within FIFA. Domestically, the extensive infrastructure projects required for the 48-game tournament may bring modernization and economic growth but also risk environmental degradation, community displacement, and economic disparities.
