Menu
International Football

FIFA Presidential Candidates Urged To Address Human Rights Issues

A coalition of human rights groups and trade unions has written to FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his three rivals for the body's presidency "urging them to address issues surrounding human rights, migrant workers and corruption at World Cups," according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. A questionnaire sent to the four candidates -- Blatter, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, former Portuguese int'l Luís Figo and Dutch FA President Michael van Praag -- called on them to "address the issues in their first 100 days, particularly as they relate to the next two tournaments" in Russia and Qatar. All four candidates were "asked whether they will use their positions to exert pressure on the Qatari authorities to bring the country’s labour laws in line" with int'l standards and "reform the kafala system that ties workers to their employer and prevents them leaving the country without permission." The Sports & Rights Alliance, which includes Amnesty Int'l, Human Rights Watch, the Int'l Trade Union Confederation, Terre des Hommes and Transparency Int'l, also said that Russia’s "'appalling record' on gay rights, environmental protection and freedom of expression remained a 'real concern' in the runup to the 2018 tournament." Blatter met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Monday and "reiterated his support for Russia's right to host the World Cup" (GUARDIAN, 4/21). 

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2015/04/22/International-Football/FIFA-Human-Rights.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2015/04/22/International-Football/FIFA-Human-Rights.aspx

CLOSE