It was no surprise to anyone. The confirmation that Saudi Arabia, the only candidate, will host the 2034 World Cup was already expected; it was just a matter of time. The worrying part is the process of choosing the organization of the biggest sporting event on the planet, alongside the Olympic Games, which seems to ignore discussions that we have today in democratic societies around the world.
Starting with the announcement, made this week by FIFA president, Gianni Infantino. From Zurich, Switzerland, it was virtual and by acclamation, that is, with representatives of the confederations on different screens applauding. There wasn’t a vote.
No major sporting event is perfect, but if, in the case of the Olympic Games, future venues are encouraged to build less and use arenas that already exist, in the Saudi bid there will be 15 stadiums, 11 built from scratch, one of them being on top of the Olympic building. a city that doesn’t even exist yet. The estimated total cost of the World Cup is hundreds of billions of dollars. And how can we trust sustainability commitments from a kingdom that is the largest exporter of crude oil in the world?
In addition to denouncing the severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the rights of women, treated as inferior beings, and the fact that homosexuality is a crime there, respected organizations such as Amnesty International and the UN bring shocking data about the history of violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia.
This year alone, 300 people were executed, there is torture in prisons, more than 20 thousand immigrants from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan who work on infrastructure projects have died. With the large volume of construction of cities, hotels and stadiums for the World Cup, this grim number will increase.
A phrase used by those defending Saudi Arabia is to call criticism “Western prejudice.” Another is to say that “sport can serve as a catalyst for change.” When fans are in brand new stadiums and in a bubble protected from reality, I really hope to see that this World Cup will have made progress in Saudi society and laws.
For anyone purchasing tickets, it’s worth remembering the date: with temperatures exceeding 45°C in July, on a planet that is getting hotter every day, we could once again have a World Cup in the European winter, at the end of the year. year.
Should a global sport like football embrace different types of cultures? Without a doubt. Are the Saudis to blame for offering to host major events, not out of love for sport, but as a clever strategy to have other sources of income and investments in the future besides oil? They certainly don’t.
The biggest discussion is about what criteria are used for countries to receive the honor of hosting events such as the World Cup, the Olympic Games, and world championships. And the feeling that, in the next ten years, football could be responsible for the deaths of potentially thousands of workers.
The Saudis have invested billions of dollars in recent years in the global sports industry and have now achieved their greatest ambition. So much money brings privileges. As long as they want to sign the checks, much of the world will continue to say yes.
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