One of the most glorious global sporting events, the FIFA World Cup has united people from every nook and corner of the world due to its ability to unite human beings. However, serious concerns arise with Saudi Arabia’s human rights record in winning the bid for the 2034 World Cup, especially the way it treats intellectuals, social critics, and dissidents. One of the hottest issues is the imprisonment of those individuals who have the guts to tell the government things as they ought to be done, thus wondering if Saudi is the right destination for the championship that boasts in being inclusive and free, an event where everybody’s culture comes to celebrate.
Record of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has been under much criticism for its practices that concern human rights issues, especially towards the freedom of speech, the freedom of assembly, women’s rights, and also the minority groups. The government is notorious on its stance toward political dissent through arrest, detaining people in prison, and even putting those in prison cells for protesting their status quo.
Here, women can drive and some constraints on social freedoms have been rolled back, but most critics feel this is symbolic rather than substantial. Behind the headlines, however, repression remains disturbing. In March 2022, Saudi Arabia executed 81 individuals in a single day. It was one of the biggest mass executions in decades, holding the country to its previous commitments to limit the use of the death penalty.
Detaining Thinkers and Social Commentators
Among the most disturbing human rights records, Saudi Arabia seems to violate the rights of intellectuals and social critics. They tend to be locked up, bullied, and tormented because they publicly criticize some government policies and demand political and social reforms. International attention highlighted some of these cases, with the dangers drawn around those critics of the narrative of the government.
Many human rights defenders and activists are still in prison for their peaceful activism. For example, Raif Badawi, a prominent blogger, served his 10-year prison term but is still banned from travelling. Badawi was sentenced to ten years accompanied by a monetary fine and further publicly flogged. His case constitutes one of the most characteristic examples of the hard stance of the Saudi regime against free expression. Many human rights defenders and activists are still in prison for their peaceful activism.
Lack of Freedom of Speech
In 2010, FIFA made headlines by awarding the World Cup to Qatar in 2022, after which it attracted much criticism regarding the mistreatment of migrants. In retaliation, FIFA said it would “raise the bar” for host countries it selects in the future. Well, Saudi Arabia’s record in imprisoning its critics certainly is a contradiction of these ideals.
It is paradoxical for FIFA to uphold freedom of speech and be an open venue while the same nation hosting the World Cup jails people for their own opinions. The intellectuals and social critics cannot be locked up without contradicting the point that either the organization holds free speech dearly or that they are an open venue for football around the globe.
The Impact of the World Cup on the Global Eye
The World Cup is an international event; hosting millions of fans across the globe creates opportunities for cross-cultural exchange as well as promotes international cooperation.
In contrast, in three countries the 2026 World Cup will be hosted. Saudi Arabia has issues with human rights as well; however, those are not even in the same league as Saudi Arabia, which is known to be much worse regarding the treatment of critics and dissidents. The imprisonment of intellectual and social critics stands contrary to all that FIFA has strived to create remarkable images for the World Cup.
Hosting the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia would risk making the tournament politically controversial, as the focus would shift from the tournament to the repressive practices the country is infamous for. That would undermine FIFA’s legitimacy in championing human rights and inclusivity in sports.
Pressure On International Organizations
An act of this type would squarely show that it would be fine by FIFA if Saudi Arabia could grossly suppress free speech and political dissent to get to host the 2034 World Cup. All such damage to credibility would call for more accountability and also transparency in the decision process of FIFA.
FIFA has previously been criticized by international organizations and human rights bodies over different human rights issues. The protests and calls for boycotts already experienced are bound to increase in intensity if Saudi Arabia is allowed to host the World Cup since fans, players, and governments across the globe will protest the decision.
As Saudi Arabia continues to pursue its Vision 2030 initiative, which is aimed at economic diversification, international organizations are under pressure to align their programs with these national objectives while also addressing urgent social and economic needs.
Conclusion
While Saudi Arabia may be offered as a country that is bringing modernity to the Middle East, the repression of intellectuals, journalists, and social critics is much more problematic and bears obstacles in its suitability to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
But for FIFA to stand true to human rights and free speech, there is ample reason for it to think again about granting Saudi Arabia the right to host the World Cup. The tournament should not be an endorsement of governments that permit repression but a festival of unity, inclusivity, and joy for sport.
