NGOs claim flaws in Saudi World Cup bid's human rights report

Rights groups have criticized an independent human rights assessment for Saudi Arabia's bid for the 2034 World Cup, calling it "flawed" and "misleading."

The report, commissioned by the Saudi bid by Riyadh-based law firm AS&H Clifford Chance, ignores fundamental standards such as the International Bill of Rights, 11 groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said.

The document also makes “highly selective” use of United Nations assessments and fails to consult credible external stakeholders, such as Saudi human rights experts, they added.

The assessment was drawn up as Saudi Arabia pushed to host the 2034 World Cup. The world’s top oil exporter quickly emerged as the sole bidder and will be rubber-stamped in December.

No comment was immediately available from the law firm or Saudi authorities. The statement’s other signatories included FairSquare, Equidem, Football Supporters Europe and the Gulf Centre for Human Rights.

The joint statement said: “The report contains no substantive discussion of extensive and relevant abuses in Saudi Arabia, documented by multiple human rights organisations and UN bodies.

“The apparent failure to include the perspective of credible external stakeholders is at odds with available guidance on how to assess human rights.

“Combined with the exclusion of key internationally recognised human rights, and the selective use of assessments by UN bodies, (it) serves to create an artificially limited, misleading and overly positive perspective on the human rights challenges in Saudi Arabia.”

A spokesperson for Fifa told AFP “all relevant reports, including the independent human rights context assessments and the human rights strategies of all bidders for the 2030 and 2034 editions, are available on our website”.

But the only report it takes responsibility for is its evaluation report, due to be published in the run-up to the Dec 11 Fifa congress confirming the hosts for the 2030 World Cup – Spain, Portugal and Morocco – and the 2034 edition.

Human rights, a source of deep controversy at the 2022 World Cup in neighbouring Qatar, threatens to become a major talking point once again in the run-up to 2034.

Rights groups highlight mass executions in Saudi Arabia and allegations of torture, as well as restrictions on women under the conservative country’s male guardianship system.

Sex outside marriage and same-sex relations are both crimes, and the “widespread exploitation” of migrant workers continues, the statement said.

Free expression is severely restricted, with some people handed lengthy jail terms over critical posts on social media.

Saudi Arabia, which is hosting several high-profile events including Formula One and this week’s WTA Finals tennis, is often accused of “sportswashing” – using sport to divert attention from its rights record. AFP