Reports that FIFA are considering having ‘Visit Saudi’ as one of the main sponsor’s of this year’s FIFA World Cup enraged anyone with even a modicum of awareness around Saudi Arabia’s stance on women’s rights, and shocked absolutely nobody.
This is FIFA we are talking about. An organisation that is headed up by Gianni Infantino, who sometimes feels a woman. And gay. Disabled. African…
The man is delusional.
But then, he doesn’t need to give a toss about women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, does he? No matter how much of a woman he feels.
If Qatar 2022 taught us anything, it’s that FIFA does not care one iota about ‘doing the right thing’. Their one and only mantra is, ‘how much money can we make?’
FIFA would have you believe that the deal is ‘good for the game’.
Alex Morgan is having none of it. And rightly so.
“I think it’s bizarre that FIFA has looked to have a Visit Saudi sponsorship for the Women’s World Cup, when I, myself, Alex Morgan, would not even be accepted and supported in that country,” The San Diego Wave striker told The Athletic recently.
Women’s and LGBTQ+ rights
And she’s right. Morgan would not be accepted or supported in the country. That’s the harrowing reality that faces Saudi women on a daily basis.
Saudi Arabia has an atrocious record in regards to women’s rights, not to mention its equally abhorrent record on LGBTQ+ rights. Saudi Arabia is a country that shouldn’t be anywhere near a women’s World Cup right now.
How can a nation that actively persecutes women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, be anywhere near the showpiece event for women’s soccer globally?
At the 2019 World Cup, 40 players were openly out, according to outsports.com. Depending on various selection issues with each participant nation, the number in Australia and New Zealand could even be higher than that.
Regardless of their sexuality, none of those women would be welcome in Riyadh.
So, why should ‘Visit Saudi‘ be allowed to sponsor the World Cup?
They shouldn’t. There’s no logical argument to say that they should be allowed.
Morgan was right to say what she said. It’s what we’re all thinking.
Vision 2030
Despite all of this, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would have you believe the country is making progress. That’s what their infamous Vision 2030 scheme is, supposedly, all about.
The country wants to change its image globally, and sport has become a big part of that. The Saudi Public Investment Fund’s recent acquisition of Premier League Newcastle United is a prime example of this. As is ‘Visit Saudi’s lucrative sponsorship deal with Lionel Messi. Human rights activists have labelled many of their moves as ‘sportswashing’.
It seems that the Kingdom wants to add the 2023 FIFA World Cup to its burgeoning repertoire.
Legislative reform
In Saudi Arabia women’s rights are heavily restricted. There has, however, been some progress, it must be noted. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman recently introduced legislation allowing women in the country to apply for their own passports, and to travel abroad without a male guardian or ‘wali’. The Crown Prince, in 2017, also passed legislation that allowed women to drive for the first time. These reforms form part of Vision 2030.
That being said, Saudi law is extremely restrictive in terms of what a woman can or cannot do. For example, a woman requires a male family members’ permission to marry, start a business, leave prison or leave a domestic abuse shelter. A woman requires a man’s permission to leave a domestic abuse shelter. Just let that sink in for a second.
Propaganda
That’s where the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is at, in terms of women’s rights. According to Amnesty International, the Kingdom continues to imprison women’s rights activists. The body also called the countries’ recent legislative changes ‘propaganda’.
The Crown Prince, on international women’s day 2022, introduced Saudi’s Personal Status Law. Mohammad bin Salman praised the law for its accordance to what he called ‘modern international judicial practices. The reality is much more sinister according to Amnesty International:
‘In reality, however, the law codifies many of the informal yet widespread problematic practices inherent in the male guardianship system and entrenches a system of gender-based discrimination in most aspects of family life, including in marriage, divorce, and child custody.’
It’s even worse for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Homosexuality is criminalised in Saudi Arabia; punishable, in some instances, by death.
But we know FIFA doesn’t care about that. See Qatar 2022. The fact that FIFA is even considering allowing ‘Visit Saudi‘ to sponsor the world’s premier women’s soccer tournament is a giant middle finger to the sport, its players and its fans.
I’m glad the likes of Morgan are calling FIFA and Infantino out on it.
Not that they’ll care.
Written by Dan Berridge
