A leading int'l charity is calling for major sports governing bodies FIFA and the IOC "to change their way of doing business around their showcase global events," according to Bill Wilson of the BBC. The Swiss-based NGO, Terre des Hommes, "which is dedicated to stopping child exploitation in developing countries, wants to see a number of financial and social changes around World Cups and Olympic Games." It wants FIFA -- as a global group with a World Cup "product" worth billions of dollars -- "to implement the same stringent rules of corporate responsibility expected from other transglobal corporations." Terre des Hommes CEO Danuta Sacher said, "Just as garment retailers bear responsibility for the production conditions of their suppliers, this must also apply to FIFA and the whole of its 'commercial product' -- the World Cup tournament." Sacher believes that "it is unfair that the host nation has to meet the bill for all of the infrastructure needed," while FIFA -- which enjoys tax breaks and exemptions from World Cup host nations -- makes billions of dollars out of the event. FIFA said that it has been working with Terre des Hommes since '13 in building and running the Football for Hope Centre in Bujumbura, Burundi, with the center "using football to support street children and bring them together with children from the local community." Terre des Hommes "launched a Children Win campaign to highlight these hardships encountered by disadvantaged youngsters and their families." It plans to meet FIFA representatives at football business forum Soccerex (BBC, 9/7).
