FIFA announced on Friday the creation of a “Human Rights Advisory Board” composed of international experts with the objective to advise and support the governing body in its work on human rights.
That includes labour standards, health and safety, property rights, security, discrimination and freedom of expression.
This Advisory Board is a promise fulfilled by President Gianni Infantino, part of the roadmap for FIFA unveiled on October 2016 known as “FIFA 2.0: the vision for the future”, where it announced the gathering of all relevant stakeholders during 2017 to discuss on human rights and gender equality, and the role that FIFA will play in the preservation of these basic rights.
Their first meeting will be held next Monday, in the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, and after each meeting a report will be published with the recommendations to FIFA.
Independent advisory board of human rights experts to meet on 13 March: https://t.co/XBf3TJWocJ
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) March 10, 2017
The Board will actively collaborate with the organizing committees of Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 and is formed of reputed representatives of the United Nations, the football players’ union FIFPRO, the civil society, and strong sponsors such as, the Coca-Cola Company and Adidas, that in 2015 voiced their concerns publicly about FIFA’s string of scandals under its former president.
Given their high profile, it will be very interesting to see what will be the first priorities that the board will remark to FIFA, and how the latter addresses them in the context of persistent and harsh criticism of different international organizations protecting human rights and the multiple allegations of corruption and abuses.
As it has happened in previous events, it is easy to predict now that international unions and human rights organizations will substantially increase their criticism in the run up to the World Cup to get the maximum public attention.
FIFA sets up human rights panel in response to criticism https://t.co/3wJCDcK2NG pic.twitter.com/tm2UMXS8mt
— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) March 10, 2017
So for Russia, and especially for Qatar which still has enough time ahead, this new board should be seen as the best opportunity to step out of the limelight, and shift the attention and pressure of the media to this body that should assume the role to communicate and inform on all policies and measures adopted in the protection of human rights by World Cup host countries.
The hosts can then focus their efforts in delivering the highest standards for the event.
