A group of prominent legal experts claims that Fifa has disregarded their report on human rights issues related to the 2034 World Cup, cautioning that the governing body is 'dealing with the devil' by considering Saudi Arabia as a host. The decision on Saudi Arabia's bid to host the World Cup is expected in December, with no other contenders making the process seem predetermined. The lawyers—Prof Mark Pieth, Stefan Wehrenberg, and Rodney Dixon KC—submitted a report to Fifa in May, highlighting areas where the Saudi state violated Fifa's human rights policies. Dixon, who represents the widow of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, Hanan Elatr, stated that Fifa has not responded to the report. 'We urge Fifa, with its strong history of supporting human rights, to act now, and it is unacceptable for them to ignore our report entirely,' he said. 'There must be dialogue. Changes are necessary if Saudi Arabia is to be considered for the World Cup. Vague recommendations or superficial solutions are not sufficient.'
Pieth, formerly the chair of Fifa's independent governance committee, which was established following widespread corruption revelations after the successful bids of Russia and Qatar, noted that choosing Saudi Arabia poses a 'significant risk' for Fifa. 'My understanding is that Saudi Arabia is quite anxious about public criticism and can be dangerous,' he said. 'I am not hesitant to voice this publicly. People are indeed dealing with the devil here. Hence, there is a substantial risk.' The report's authors are adopting a 'staged' approach in their engagement with Fifa and are not excluding legal action if Fifa fails to respond. Article 7 of Fifa's human rights policy states that 'Fifa will engage constructively with relevant authorities and other stakeholders and make every effort to uphold its international human rights responsibilities.'
'We are not the only ones calling for a thorough, honest review,' Dixon said. 'Fifa has the power to take decisive actions, as seen in the past with bans on countries like Russia and Indonesia. These actions have significantly altered perceptions. We believe this is another pivotal moment.' The report emphasizes four key areas. Firstly, Saudi Arabia must release all political prisoners and those detained arbitrarily, treating all prisoners in accordance with human rights standards. Secondly, the judiciary must be appointed independently and allowed to function without external interference. Thirdly, employment laws must be revised to permit migrant workers to leave jobs or the country without government approval. Lastly, Saudi Arabia must enhance women's rights by criminalizing marital rape, ensuring protection from domestic violence, and allowing women to be legal guardians of their children if it is in the child's best interest.
A Fifa spokesperson stated that they are conducting 'comprehensive bidding processes' for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. 'All relevant reports, including independent human rights context assessments and the human rights strategies of all bidders for the 2030 and 2034 editions, are available on our website. The bid evaluation reports for the 2030 and 2034 Fifa World Cup will be published before the Extraordinary Fifa Congress on 11 December 2024.'
