FIFA report shows it has much to do over human rights

A report commissioned by world football governing body FIFA criticises its failure to consider human rights issues in host countries including Brazil, Russia and Qatar and its reluctance to exert its influence to improve the situation.

With treatment of migrant workers in Qatar building the infrastructure to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the spotlight, Professor John Ruggie’s report makes 25 explicit recommendations, praising FIFA for making a start in addressing the situation by commissioning the report – but saying that it must match its words with action.

Professor Ruggie’s conclusion states “the foundational shift for Fifa now is to go beyond putting words on paper and adding new administrative functions.

“What is required is a cultural shift that must affect everything Fifa does and how it does it.”

Professor Ruggie said that among the immediate priorities must be addressing human rights risks in tournaments that have already been scheduled and following through on promises to include such criteria in the bidding requirements for the 2026 World Cup.

The FIFA and Human Rights report read: “FIFA should include human rights within its criteria for evaluating bids to host tournaments and should make them a substantive factor in host selection.”

Another of the recommendations states: “FIFA should set explicit human rights requirements of Local Organising Committees in bidding documents for tournaments and provide guidance on them.”

On Qatar, Ruggie noted that the International Labour Organisation had recently given Qatar 12 months to end migrant worker exploitation or face a formal inquiry by the United Nations.

Earlier this month an Amnesty International report claimed that despite repeated promises of action by the Qatari administration, it found ongoing abuse of migrant workers on a World Cup stadium project and a related development.

Qatar’s Supreme Committee, responsible for the World Cup, has introduced minimum standards for its contractors and there has been some progress more widely on living standards for some workers.

However, human rights groups claim too little progress has been made on sweeping away the kafala system that bonds labourers to their employer and has been likened to modern slavery.

Ruggie also said there were major human rights issues facing the Russia 2018 World Cup, stating “there is stuff happening in Russia that hasn’t been much written about in terms of forcible removal of people, migrant labour issues, like there was in Sochi [before the 2014 Winter Olympics],” he said. “That should be all part of the conversation.”

He raised an alarm about the Under-20 women’s World Cup, which will take place in Papua New Guinea in November and December, adding “I was shocked by how little interest that had generated within FIFA when we know that multinational organisations will not allow women to go on the streets in broad daylight.”

The report adds “Papua New Guinea is known as one of the world’s worst places for sexual violence against women – and police are often among the perpetrators. This is precisely the kind of case that requires heightened human rights due diligence as part of the bid evaluation process.”

With the decision already taken, the report calls on FIFA to prove that adequate security arrangements are being made to address the risks.

The report said that it was not enough for FIFA to claim it had limited influence, calling on it to work to maximise its leverage on human rights issues.

Professor Ruggie stated “its leverage concerns the activities involved in hosting and staging a tournaments. It requires the LOCs to get declarations from governments. They all have human rights implications.”

Professor Ruggie, a respected expert in the field, who was responsible for drawing up the United Nations guiding principles on business and human rights during 14 years in senior roles at the organisation, said that FIFA’s human rights responsibilities went beyond those issues related to tournaments.

Responding to the report, newly appointed FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, said that the organisation was “fully committed to respecting human rights” and said the new report would guide the way forward.

Infantino commented “this is an ongoing process and of course challenges remain but FIFA is committed to playing its part in ensuring respect for human rights and to being a leader among international sports organisations in this important area.”

#NewFIFANow has welcomed the report, saying that it provides a roadmap for integration of human rights issues within FIFA's polices and operations, and could be a benchmark for other sporting organisations.

A spokesperson for #NewFIFANow explained “we are pleased that the recommendations focus on the need for transparency, accountability and cultural change within FIFA and the broader football world. These are issues around which #NewFIFANow has campaigned since the beginning.

“We note Professor Ruggie's view that some recommendations can be acted upon immediately, while others will take time to implement.

“We note that the short-term priorities, as set out by Professor Ruggie, include holding the hosts of Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 to account in respect of their human rights policies and practices.

“We look forward to the full implementation of the recommendations by FIFA, as well as monitoring progress towards their implementation.”

Images: Labourers on a Qatari FIFA World Cup stadium building site (top) and a stadium construction site (middle).

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