Women's World Cup 2023: Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand write to Fifa over Saudi sponsor

1 year ago 47

Fifa Women's World Cup trophy astatine  the gully  successful  October 2022

Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand person asked Fifa to "urgently clarify" reports that Saudi Arabia's tourism authorization is to beryllium named arsenic an authoritative sponsor of the 2023 Women's World Cup.

A woody with Visit Saudi is acceptable to beryllium announced and has already been criticised by quality rights groups.

The Gulf Kingdom has been accused of quality rights abuses.

Football Australia and New Zealand Football said they were not consulted and are "disappointed".

They person some written to football's satellite governing body, portion Amnesty International called it "crude exploitation" of the sport.

The Women's World Cup takes spot from 20 July to 20 August successful cities crossed Australia and New Zealand, and organisers judge a record 2 billion radical could ticker the tournament.

The sponsorship woody - yet to beryllium formally announced - is portion of a caller commercialized concern operation that Fifa acceptable up to let brands to specifically enactment the women's game.

While the size of the woody has not been revealed, insiders assertion it volition supply a important boost to the women's game, and the wealth generated volition beryllium reinvested backmost into football.

"Football Australia understands Fifa has entered into a destination concern statement successful respect to the Fifa Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023," Football Australia said successful a statement.

"We are precise disappointed that Football Australia were not consulted connected this substance anterior to immoderate determination being made. Football Australia and New Zealand Football person jointly written to Fifa to urgently clarify the situation."

New Zealand Football added: "If these reports beryllium correct, we are shocked and disappointed to perceive this arsenic New Zealand Football haven't been consulted by Fifa astatine each connected this matter."

Saudi Arabia has invested heavy successful sporting events successful caller years but has been accused of utilizing events to 'sportswash' its reputation.

There are concerns implicit quality rights successful the country, women's rights and the usage of the decease penalty.

Women's rights campaigners person been imprisoned, contempt immoderate betterment nether crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, specified arsenic an extremity to the prohibition connected women driving.

Western quality agencies assertion the crown prince ordered the execution of writer Jamal Khashoggi successful 2018 - which helium denies.

"It would beryllium rather the irony for Saudi's tourism assemblage to sponsor the largest solemnisation of women's athletics successful the satellite erstwhile you see that, arsenic a pistillate successful Saudi Arabia, you can't adjacent person a occupation without the support of your antheral guardian," said Amnesty International Australia campaigner Nikita White.

Although Saudi Arabia lone sent women to the Olympics for the archetypal clip successful 2012, it has taken steps to make women's shot successful caller years, with pistillate fans allowed to be shot matches for the archetypal clip successful 2018.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has appointed 2 women to its committee of directors and created a women's shot section successful 2019.

In 2020, a Women's Football League was launched, and past period Saudi Arabia hosted and won a four-nation women shot tourney successful their bid to diagnostic successful the Fifa women's satellite rankings for the archetypal time.

Across the BBC banner

Across the BBC footer

Read Entire Article