Outcry over Saudi human rights ahead of final Expo vote

Human rights activists are expressing concerns over Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 World Cup, citing the nation's labor abuses and lack of press freedom. The protests shed doubt on the country's qualifications to host the 2030 World Expo.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Saudi sports minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal during the country's unveiling of the first ever Esports World Cup scheduled to be held in Riyadh next year. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

FIFA's selection of Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 World Cup has angered many human rights activists across the globe over “sportswashing.” Opponents are also raising doubts about the country's qualifications to hold a World Expo.

Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based advocacy group, said that FIFA “broke its own human rights rules” by naming Saudi Arabia host.

“With Saudi Arabia’s estimated 13.4 million migrant workers, inadequate labor and heat protections and no unions, no independent human rights monitors and no press freedom, there is every reason to fear for the lives of those who would build and service stadiums, transit, hotels and other hosting infrastructure in Saudi Arabia,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at HRW.

“Barely a year after the human rights catastrophes of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, FIFA has failed to learn the lesson that awarding multibillion-dollar events without due diligence and transparency can risk corruption and major human rights abuses.”

The Sports & Rights Alliance, a global coalition of nine human rights and anticorruption advocates in sports, also urged FIFA to secure human rights protections for the 2030 and 2034 World Cup tournaments.

Saudi Arabia was named as the 2034 host country after Australia, the only other contender, withdrew its bid.

Critics are also raising doubts about Saudi Arabia's ability to host the 2030 World Expo, which it is bidding to host in Riyadh.

World Expo is one of the world's largest events, surpassed only by the World Cup and the Olympics. Korea's Busan and Italy's Rome are also in the running.

“Riyadh's biggest weakness relies on its closed Islamic religious society and abuses of women’s rights,” said Lee June-yi, a professor at the Pusan National University's Research Center for Climate Sciences who gave a speech at the 171st Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) general assembly in Paris last November. “Busan is a gateway to the Eurasian continent and known for its cultural diversity.”

Saudi Arabia is currently making many efforts to host international events, and has drawn frequent criticism for “sportswashing” in the process.

“Well, if sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by one percent, then I will continue doing sportswashing,” Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview with Fox News that aired on Sept. 23.

The final vote for the World Expo host will take place via secret ballot at the BIE general assembly in Paris on Nov. 28.

After the 2022 World Cup, Qatar was accused abusing migrant workers, endangering the lives of the LGBT community and stifling free speech. Thousands of migrant workers died or were seriously injured while building and servicing the parts of the event's infrastructure, including stadiums, transit, and hotels.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]