Groups call for Fifa reforms to end corruption and rights abusespublished at 16:30 BST
16:30 BST
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The Sport & Rights Alliance have said the controversy surrounding Gianni Infantino’s abandoned FFE plans should act as a catalyst for wider reform at world football’s governing body.
The coalition includes organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Transparency International, Reporters Without Borders and Football Supporters Europe.
“The landscape for human rights, transparency and good governance will not improve if Fifa’s structures are not addressed,” said its executive director Andrea Florence in a statement.
“This crisis must spur long-overdue reforms to finally embed human rights protections at the heart of world football. Only a systemic transformation that addresses the many abuses linked to Fifa’s operations will prevent history repeating itself.”
Tor Dolvik, special adviser at Transparency International Norway, added: “Contrary to Infantino’s social media statements, the largest, “most-inclusive” World Cup in history saw many human rights abuses and significant sportswashing.
“Fifa’s failure to follow through on its human rights commitments has tarnished Infantino’s decade as president,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch.
“Fifa has still not financially compensated families of thousands of migrant workers who died to deliver the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.”
It called for establishment of a new independent human rights advisory board, greater transparency, stronger protections for workers and communities affected by major tournaments and accountability to the media and public.