"Let’s be clear. There is no time to waste in taking action to prevent human rights abuses linked to the World Cups in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022" – Sylvia Schenk, Transparency International Germany
FIFA still has to prove it is serious about dealing with human rights abuses and corruption linked to the World Cup. Not one of the organisation’s presidential candidates has either signed up to the full range of pledges presented to them by a group of leading NGOs ahead of the election next week (26 February), or articulated alternative measures that would effectively address the underlying issues.
NGOs including Human Rights Watch, Football Supporters Europe, Terre des Hommes and Transparency International Germany asked the five candidates to commit to taking six clear steps in their first 100 days as president to put FIFA on the road to ensuring the World Cup and other tournaments do not cause or contribute to human rights abuses and corruption.
While none of the candidates signed up to the full range of pledges, four replied – Jerome Champagne, Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, Gianni Infantino and Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa -and expressed their commitment to dealing with some of the issues raised by the NGOs. They acknowledged that transparency and accountability need to improve at all levels, but none accepted the need for an independent advisory panel to oversee measures to tackle this. However, Prince Ali has since announced plans for former UN General Secretary Kofi Annan to lead an independent oversight group.
"We come with specific demands for reforms. The devil is in the detail and the general announcements will not be sufficient. As a child rights organization, we are committed in bringing the specific child rights perspective in changing the game of FIFA" said Ignacio Packer, Terre des Hommes Secretary General.
For more information, contact:
Andrea Florence
Strategic Alliance Officer
Phone +41 (0)79 938 1029
www.terredeshommes.org
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only
Últimas Noticias
Brigitte Henriques: “The important thing is that the women who are elected should be chosen for their ability, not because we are looking for modernization in terms of gender”
“When I was a girl I couldn’t find a club to play soccer in because most of them didn’t work with women,” Henriques tells Around the Rings during an in-depth interview in Crete, Greece.
The Hula Report: Winds of Change for ANOC in Crete
New leaders coming for peak Olympic group. Whether other candidates emerge in the months ahead, a contested election for the ANOC presidency will be a first for the organization.
Gilles Gilbert Gresenguet, presidential candidate for AFCNO: “We must take advantage of Paris 2024 to bring the Olympic Games back to French”
The elections take place November 18, and Abakar Djermah Aumi, president of the Chad Olympic Committee, is also aiming to win them.
USOPC announces 613-member 2020 U.S. Olympic Team
Roger Federer pulls out of Tokyo Olympics: "I am greatly disappointed"
(ATR) Federer cites "a setback with my knee" for the decision.
