Sport and Human Rights

Lack of civic leadership has enabled Manchester and Newcastle sportswashing projects

FairSquare report provides further evidence of the harms of state ownership of football clubs

A new report published today finds that political leaders in Manchester and Newcastle have not only declined multiple opportunities to use their positions of influence to express criticism of serious and systematic human rights abuses in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, but have effectively assisted these two deeply abusive and profoundly anti-democratic states’ efforts to set up ‘soft power enclaves’ in cities with proud histories of protest and dissent.

Call on UK government to prohibit and phase out state ownership of football clubs

Systemic stability not possible with nation state involvement

FairSquare has this week written to Lucy Frazer, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, urging the UK government to outlaw state ownership of English football clubs.

Call on UEFA to protect competition integrity

Qatari state takeover of Manchester United would strengthen autocrats’ grip on the game

FairSquare has written to UEFA to call on European football’s governing body to outline a clear public position prohibiting a Qatari state takeover of Manchester United.

FIFA Misleading World on Remedy Fund for Migrant Workers

New Legacy Fund Should Be Used to Ensure Workers’ Compensation

FIFA is still failing to fulfill its human rights responsibilities by refusing to commit to compensate migrant workers and their families for abuses while preparing and delivering the World Cup 2022 tournament in Qatar, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, FairSquare, and Equidem said today.

Key UN expert group asked to examine Qatar World Cup whistleblower’s case

Human rights organization FairSquare today asked the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to examine the case of Abdullah Ibhais, a whistle-blower on the Qatar World Cup. A formal submission shared with the Working Group today argues that Ibhais has been arbitrarily detained, on the basis of a demonstrably unfair trial.

FIFA Yet to Back Workers’ Remedy Fund Despite Growing Support

Football’s Governing Body Should Commit to Compensate Before World Cup Opens

FIFA has yet to officially commit to a fund to compensate migrant workers for harms and deaths in Qatar, despite public backing from at least seven national Football Associations, four World Cup sponsors, former players, political leaders and, according to an opinion poll, a large majority of the public in 15 countries, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and FairSquare said today.

U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) Criticized for “Dictator Games” This Week in United Arab Emirates

Human Rights Organizations Urge NBA to Condemn UAE Rulers’ Violence Against Women, Homophobia, and War in Yemen

A coalition of human rights, women’s rights, and peace organizations is calling on the U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) to publicly condemn the rulers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their violence against women, homophobic laws, and brutal war in Yemen.

FIFA World Cup: All Sponsors Should Back Remedies for Workers

Global Survey Shows Major Support for Sponsors Backing Migrant Worker Compensation Call

FIFA’s corporate partners and sponsors of the 2022 World Cup should all press the global football association and the Qatari government to provide compensation and other remedies to migrant workers and their families who suffered death or injury, wage theft or debt from illegal recruitment fees while preparing the tournament, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and FairSquare said today.

FIFA should match $440m Qatar 2022 prize money to fund migrant worker compensation

FairSquare has joined Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and a range of football supporter groups, civil society organisations and trade unions to call on FIFA to help establish a comprehensive Qatar 2022 programme to ensure all labour abuses to which the organisation contributed are remedied, and to set aside appropriate financial resources.

The Abdullah Ibhais Case: Four Key Pieces Of Evidence

FairSquare, working with Human Rights Watch, has been documenting the case of Abdullah Ibhais since late 2021. His lawyer filed an appeal with Qatar’s final court of appeal, the Court of Cassation, on 13 February 2022. In this piece FairSquare Director Nick McGeehan provides analysis of the key pieces of evidence in the case.