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Saudi World Cup Statement

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:10:16 GMT

FOOTBALL FANS ACROSS THE WORLD NEED TO UNITE AGAINST FIFA AWARDING THE 2034 WORLD CUP TO SAUDI ARABIA

The voting will take place on 11 December 2024, during the FIFA Congress in Zürich, and will be open to all 210 eligible members.

As football fans, we call on FIFA to halt the process to pick Saudi Arabia as hosts of the 2034 World Cup before the vote next month. Amnesty International, the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) and other human rights groups are also calling for the same.

"There will be a real and predictable human cost to awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without obtaining credible guarantees of reform," Steve Cockburn, Amnesty's head of labour rights and sport, said in a statement.

"Fans will face discrimination... migrant workers will face exploitation, and many will die.

"FIFA must halt the process until proper human rights protections are in place to avoid worsening an already dire situation, he added.

As football fans, we are in full agreement with this statement.

Besides its human rights violations, Saudi Arabia and its state oil company Saudi Aramco (announced as a major FIFA sponsor earlier this year) are also massive contributors to the climate crisis. Their fossil fuel emissions worsen extreme weather and harm football fans and players around the world. Not only does the Saudi regime have no plan to reduce this pollution, but it has worked consistently to block international climate action.

The Saudi state have owned Newcastle United Football Club in the Premier League for three years. Despite vague hopes that 'engagement' with the people of Newcastle would somehow help improve human rights in Saudi Arabia, unfortunately the opposite has happened. Mohammed bin Salman and the regime have presided over a record number of executions in 2024. Women are still jailed for decades for speaking up in favour of their rights on social media. Sadly, up to 21,000 migrant workers in Saudi Arabia have perished during efforts to build the ‘The Line’ – one of NEOM’s grandest megaprojects – over the course of the eight years since the work began, equating to over eight deaths per day, every day since the start of the project. Additionally, 100,000 more have reportedly gone missing while working on megaprojects across NEOM. What guarantees do we have that similar numbers would perish to build the stadiums and infrastructure for a 2034 Saudi World Cup?

"Our experience in Newcastle with the Saudi state owners of our club is that they are using it to divert attention away from their many and horrendous human rights abuses. Newcastle United Fans Against Sportswashing (NUFCFAS) appeals to football fans across the world to protest against FIFA allowing the Saudi regime to be given the biggest sportswashing tool of all - the 2034 Cup Cup. Protest at your football stadiums. Make banners - NO TO THE SAUDI SPORTWASHING WORLD CUP - SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS!" Write to your football federations and political representatives. We need to RECLAIM THE GAME for fans and human rights" said John Hird of NUFCFAS

Football is perhaps the world's most popular sporting and cultural institution. With the possible awarding of the World Cup 2034 to Saudi Arabia, global football will lose what integrity it has left. FIFA has sold its soul. While national football associations and supporters in Europe do not agree with holding World Cups in countries which commit gross human rights abuses, they still depend on FIFA for the representation of their teams in World Cup and other football competitions. Clubs, media and global football organisations have become the property of countries and companies that prefer money and power over the love of the game. Nation states have started to use ownership of our football clubs as vehicles for soft power and sportswashing.

One of the worst examples of this disconnect between the interests of the fans and the selling of the soul of football is the deal between the Saudi dictatorship and the Spanish Football Association. The rights to the Super Cup were sold to the Saudi regime in a multi million Euro deal, which means the competition is played on another continent. As well as increasing the carbon footprint this shows a total disregard for Spanish football fans who cannot afford to travel to Saudi Arabia to see their team. It also makes LGBTQI+ and women football fans feel excluded as Saudi Arabia criminalizes gay people and women do not have equal rights. Athletic Bilbao midfielder Raul Garcia called the decision to play ‘La Supa Copa’ in Saudi Arabia, a "complete nonsense" and said that "fans have been forgotten" because "football now is all about making money and finding sponsors."

For fans, football is an important part of their lives. As such, it should represent universal values in life like integrity, honesty and equality of all people. The beautiful game should be organized in a democratic way. Football democracy would mean the fans choosing the leadership of clubs, national unions and global representation. Sponsors and money should be a way to improve and enhance the game, not the overriding goal as it is unfortunately becoming. Concentrating the power and wealth in fewer and fewer hands in the football pyramid, including nation state and multi-club ownership is not sustainable financially or acceptable morally. If football ceases to have a level playing field it will no longer be a sport.

We call on football fans across the globe to unite in opposition to the 2034 Saudi Sportswashing World Cup:

We have time to mobilize se and make our voices heard:

1. As football fans we in total opposition to the proposed World Cup in Saudi Arabia and support the call of human rights groups to FIFA to halt the process to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia.. Human rights abusing dictatorships cannot be allowed to use the beautiful game to sportswash away their crimes.

2. We call on football fans to appeal to football associations, legislators, players and fans around the world to oppose the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia and if it goes ahead to organize an alternative ‘Human Rights’ World Cup.

3. We also urge sponsors to rethink their support for dictatorships hosting events, safeguarding human rights, and upholding CSR values.

4. Contact your fan associations, fanzines and Podcasts. Write articles and give your opinion on the issue. Use this press release.

5. We call on fans to organise protests with banners at games and on social media in the next few weeks in the build up to the December 11th vote - NO TO THE SAUDI SPORTSWASHING WORLD CUP - SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS!

Get involved with RECLAIM THE GAME https://www.reclaimthegame.org/contact

@nosaudiworldcup.bsky.social

The Danish FA’s Surrender to Saudi Arabia

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 14:14:15 GMT

When Football Forgets Its Moral Compass

As football continues to evolve into a global business empire, the Danish Football Association (DBU) finds itself facing an identity crisis. With Saudi Arabia on the verge of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034 - despite glaring violations of human rights - the DBU is presented with a unique opportunity to stand up for the values of democracy, transparency, and human dignity. Sadly, instead of leading the charge for integrity, DBU appears content to remain silent, complicit in the erosion of football's moral foundation.

Football as a Platform for Justice - DBU’s Forgotten Mission

The Danish Football Association has always prided itself on promoting fairness and inclusivity in football, both on and o the pitch. However, the acceptance of Saudi Arabia’s potential hosting of the World Cup signals a departure from these values. Saudi Arabia, a regime notorious for imprisoning dissidents like Salma al-Shehab, who was sentenced to 34 years in prison (source Amnesty International) for simply tweeting her opinion, is the antithesis of everything the DBU claims to stand for.

In moments like this, the DBU should be leading the charge against the commercialization of human rights abuses. Yet, their silence on Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid speaks volumes. If Denmark’s football federation won't take a stand for fundamental human rights, who will?

The Role of DBU: More Than Just a Football Association

As the governing body for Danish football, the DBU has a responsibility to ensure that football remains a sport of integrity, democracy, and equality. Its leadership is not just about overseeing local leagues or ensuring that grassroots football flourishes; it is about safeguarding the very soul of the game and it’s ties to values such as democracy, transparency and integrity. This responsibility becomes even more critical when global decisions - like who gets to host the World Cup - are at stake.

FIFA’s decision to fast-track Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup, allowing no time for any other countries to prepare a competitive oer, is a flagrant disregard for the democratic process. Yet, the DBU has remained passive, watching from the sidelines instead of rallying other federations to demand transparency and fairness in the bidding process.

A Missed Opportunity for Leadership

This isn’t just about Jesper Møller, the DBU president, and his cozy relationship with FIFA’s Gianni Infantino. This is about the broader failure of the DBU to assert its influence within UEFA and the international football community. Rather than push for reforms that would uphold the integrity of the sport, the DBU appears more interested in maintaining its status quo - regardless of the cost to football's moral compass.

The DBU has previously spoken about using “critical dialogue” to promote change, as seen during the 2022 Qatar World Cup. But when the time came to follow through on these promises, they fell flat. Plans to wear a rainbow armband and an all-black kit were abandoned, and their stance became increasingly toothless. Now, with Saudi Arabia in the spotlight, the DBU’s lack of action once again exposes its reluctance to challenge oppressive regimes.

Football as a Tool for Political Manipulation

Football’s role in society should be one of unity and hope. However, with decisions like this, the DBU is allowing the sport to become a tool for political manipulation. Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup isn’t just about football; it’s about using the global stage to whitewash a regime known for human rights abuses. When the DBU stays silent, they become complicit in allowing football to be weaponized for political gain.

The DBU’s mission is supposed to be about protecting the game, its values, and the community of fans that sustain it. Instead, by failing to speak out, they are actively enabling Saudi Arabia’s attempts to sportwash its image and distract from its abuses.

What Should the DBU Be Fighting For?

Instead of tacitly endorsing Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid, the DBU should be fighting for transparency and accountability in football governance. They should be rallying support from other national federations to demand that FIFA open its decision-making processes to scrutiny. Football fans across Denmark and the world deserve to know why Saudi Arabia was allowed to be the only bidder, and why no alternative hosts were given a fair shot.

If the DBU truly cared about democracy and transparency, they would use their influence in UEFA to challenge FIFA’s corrupt practices. This isn’t just about Saudi Arabia - it's about setting a precedent for how global football should be governed. It’s about ensuring that the sport we love is not sold o to the highest bidder.

Conclusion: DBU’s Role in Defending Football’s Integrity

The DBU is at a crossroads. As Denmark’s football federation, it has the power to push for reforms that would protect the integrity of the sport for future generations. But if they continue down their current path - bowing to financial and political pressures - they risk losing the trust of the very fans they are meant to serve.

Saudi Arabia’s potential hosting of the 2034 World Cup is a question of values. Does the DBU stand for fairness, transparency, and human rights? Or have they allowed themselves to be swept along by football’s growing commercialization and the lure of oil money?

Denmark has long been a champion of human rights on the global stage. It’s time for the DBU to reflect those same values in their approach to international football. If they don't, they will not only betray the sport but also the fans who believe in its power to bring about positive change.

By Rasmus Augustesen

Blood money and missiles: How Formula E sold it’s soul to PIF

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 19:40:43 GMT

Formula E is an electric powered single-seater motorsport World Championship, launched ten

years ago with an explicit remit to promote and develop battery powered electric vehicles, reduce

carbon emissions, champion renewable energies, and have a positive social impact and legacy in

the areas it races in. It has been recognised and crowned as the must sustainable motorsport

championship in the world for the last three years running. But for all the genuine good that it has

done since it came into being, in recent years there’s a very uncomfortable elephant in the room

that nobody in the sport seems to want to talk about seriously.

If you were watching coverage of the season-ending London E-Prix on the 20th and 21st of July,

you’ll have noticed three prominent logos plastered all along the trackside advertising: Saudia

airlines, (Fully owned by the Saudi government) SABIC, (Saudi Arabia Basic Industries

Corporation, a chemical manufacturer 70% owned by Aramco) and largest of all, PIF: The

sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, which Human Rights Watch list as being “directly involved”

in human rights abuses. This fits in very neatly with Saudi Arabia’s programme of investment in

major sports to distract from it’s distasteful record - a whitewashing practice known as

sportswashing. But Formula E is unique from it’s other sporting acquisitions, because it has

additionally proven itself to be a fantastically useful greenwashing tool for a regime ultimately

responsible for 4.38% of the planet’s historic carbon emissions since 1965.

The teams have also readily accepted the influence of Saudi money for some years now. NEOM -

a megacity project wholly owned by the PIF, who have committed numerous environmental and

human rights violations in it’s construction, including the eviction and murder of the native 800 year

old Howeitat tribe - are the title sponsors of the famous McLaren team; a partnership which began

in the team’s previous guise as the factory Mercedes-Benz team in 2020. The black and gold DS

Penske outfit also has prominent backing from the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) - A

Saudi state-backed media company with close ties to the government, which is considered a direct

outlet for Saudi soft-power in the UK. (There is of course no independent media in the Kingdom,

largely because there is no freedom of speech) In addition to this, Season 8 world driver’s

champion Stoffel Vandoorne, who currently drives for Maserati, is a brand ambassador for Saudia

Airlines.

In many ways it’s not a surprise: Formula E was one of the first racing series to visit the Gulf

Kingdom back in 2018 after signing a 10-year multi-billion dollar deal to host a race in the Saudi

capital of Riyadh; a deal which gave Saudi Arabia regional exclusivity to host Formula E in the

Middle East, which is unprecedented and unheard of on a usually volatile calendar. The current

omnipresence of PIF in the series is due to their new 10 year “Electric 360” investment partnership

with the championship announced in January of this year, one which also extends to Extreme E -

the electric SUV off-road racing series, and E1 - The Electric Powerboat racing championship. One

of the main architects behind this deal is Formula E, Extreme E and E1 founder, former FE CEO

and current chairman Alejandro Agag, a Spanish businessman and former politician and a close

personal acquaintance of Mohammad Bin Salman: The crown prince of Saudi Arabia markets

himself to the West as a reformer, but is infact a brutal, authoritarian dictator.

“For me, to partner with PIF is really important because of the alignment we have with the values

that we share,” Said Agag in an interview on PIF’s YouTube channel to promote the

announcement. He goes on to list: “Innovation, technology, pioneering, daring.” In reality there is

only one shared value of any substance, and it’s the one that Agag doesn’t mention: Money.

Formula E is an expensive, historically loss-making series , and PIF has an estimated total asset

value of $726.3 Billion that’s it’s willing to invest. This almost bottomless pit of investment carries

with it a very high cost though; one that carries with it an incredible risk to Formula E itself.

The Diriyah E-Prix on the 27th of February 2021 is remembered for a race-ending crash for British

driver Alex Lynn, in which his Mahindra car was flipped upside down at high speed after contact

with Mitch Evans’ Jaguar, causing the race to be red flagged and ended prematurely. Lynn walked

away unscathed, but shortly afterwards there was an even luckier escape for the entire paddock.

During the podium ceremony, as Sam Bird celebrated victory amidst a flashy fireworks display, a

ballistic missile was intercepted by the Saudi Patriot missile battery in the skies above, with the

explosion heard by those below. This had been launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen, with the

target being the crown prince himself, who was in attendance. Teams, media and staff within

Formula E discovered flights out of the country were diverted or cancelled and were sent back to

their hotels for the night. In a truly disturbing move, they were put under a gagging order to deny

that the attack had even happened in the first place, unconvincingly dismissing it as simply part of

the fireworks show despite all evidence to the contrary.

It was the first time that such an attack was targeted at a motorsport event in the kingdom, but it

certainly wasn’t the last: On December 30th 2021 during the Dakar Rally, French rally driver

Philippe Boutron suffered serious leg injuries in Jeddah when a support vehicle he was driving

exploded after a bomb was placed under the side of the car - an attack which the Saudi authorities

attempted to cover up. Even more infamously, Formula 1’s visit to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in

Jeddah the following year saw a nearby Aramco oil refinery hit by a Houthi drone strike during

Friday free-practice, leading to a very lengthy driver meeting in which the field had to be talked into

forgoing their safety in order to satisfy commercial interests and take part in the race.

Whilst terror attacks can take place anywhere in the world, the dangers of racing in Saudi Arabia

were known about beforehand; the Saudi led coalition has been waging war with Yemen since

2015, where the coalition has bombed civilian targets including hospitals and school buses , in what

was at the time the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet. From November 2017 the Houthis

launched multiple missile strikes on the capital, with the worst incident being a seven missile strike

on King Khalid International Airport and other areas in Riyadh, Jazran and Najran on the 26th of

March, 2018. The MIM-104 Patriot system malfunctioned, leading one Saudi missile to explode in

a residential area, and another to detonate shortly after launch. When a fragment from one of the

missiles fell over a residential neighbourhood, an Egyptian man was killed, with two others

wounded. Two months later, Alejandro Agag announced the ten-year deal for Formula E to race in

Riyadh. When I attempted to warn people working within Formula E about this, I was told to be

more positive; they had gone to the country, felt that it was perfectly safe, and assured me that

politics, murders and wars were not at all FE related and that I was overreacting.

In effect, every time Formula E visits the kingdom, it’s playing a game of Russian Roulette with the

lives of teams, staff and fans, many whom either reluctantly accept the danger as part of the job or

simply ignore it altogether. The Patriot Missile interception malfunctioned once when overwhelmed;

in a sport which takes so many steps to ensure the safety of drivers, marshals, and spectators

alike, it seems utterly reckless of both Formula E Holdings and the sport’s governing body, the FIA,

to gamble everyone’s lives on unreliable technology and a fragile truce for two days every year. But

when enough money is involved, people will look the other way and pretend that everything is fine.

In the fan village at the London E-Prix in the ExCel, one of the biggest stands is PIF’s: fitted out in

the dark green colours of the Saudi flag, it’s devoted to the Electric 360 partnership, and displays

the cars from the three different championships that they sponsor. Most people are there to play

Ping - a 2D top down mobile game in which players each control a PIF sponsored Extreme E car

and attempt to bump each other into obstacles to slow them down.

I bought my tickets for the race in December, a month before the PIF deal, although I decided not

to shell out £250-£400 for the pre-race Change Accelerated conference , in which policy makers,

industry and “thought leaders” all spout out vague, meaningless phrases like “supercharge

sustainable mobility, unite for change, ignite the next generation and build a greener tomorrow.”, all

whilst navel-gazing on what a great job they’re doing to “achieve a net zero and carbon equal

society”. A conference proudly presented by - who else - PIF.

Whilst walking past the PIF stand and trying not to think about how Saudia Arabia has executed

100 people in the first six months of the year - an average of one person every two days - I spot

someone very familiar: 3-time W-Series champion and Andretti Indy lights driver Jamie Chadwick.

Jamie is considered an icon for women in motorsport, and also drove a Formula E car in a test in

Riyadh back in 2018, when the Saudi state wanted to celebrate lifting the ban on women drivers

(Despite still imprisoning and torturing female activists who had campaigned for the right to drive )

by inserting a rule that every team had to field a female driver.

Jamie isn’t here to drive today though. She’s here as an influencer and a guest of PIF. A man -

presumably either her social media manager or a handler from PIF - gets out his phone and

records part of a TikTok video in which Jamie puts on her least sincere smile and delivers a slightly

monotone, pre-prepared speech about what a great job PIF have done, what a great time she’s

having, and how all of it is only possible because of PIF’s partnership with Formula E. It’s a little bit

like watching a hostage with a gun to their head in public, except that they get paid at the end.

While it was a disheartening sight, I don’t bring this up to vilify Jamie as any kind of standout

offender; F1 Academy’s Abbi Pulling was also there as a guest of PIF in the same capacity. It is

however, an instructive example of how PIF exploits a respected and up-and-coming figure in the

world of motorsport by giving them a bunch of much-needed cash to do PR to their social media

following, hoping that Chadwick’s positive image can help whitewash their own. And considering

that the Saudi state is amassing more and more influence over the direction of the sport, can the

likes of Chadwick and Pulling really afford to turn down PIF if they want their careers to continue?

The problem also extends to the specialist media that reports on the sport as well. One of the main

English-speaking outlets that covers the sport is The Race, through experienced motorsport

journalist Sam Smith. The Race has a history of accepting sponsorship from both Aramco and

NEOM, including in 2021 when Smith wrote a sponsored article listing the 25 most powerful figures

in the sport . Ranked 15th, above three team bosses and Formula E’s own heads of media, sport,

finance and business development was the minister for sports in Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdulaziz

Bin Turki Alfaisal Al Saud, with special mention being given to the “remarkable achievement” of

hosting Formula E in Riyadh.

Even the smaller outlets are not immune. In April the website that I volunteer for, Formula E Zone,

did a live interview with the current CEO, Jeff Dodds. I was told not to ask Jeff any questions about

the PIF deal, and forbidden from asking him any questions at all, since other members of the team

were worried they would lose access to the Formula E paddock as a result. As a journalist in

Formula E, it seems your job is not to hold the people in charge of your sport to account, but to

suck up to them, and avoid asking anything important enough to upset their Saudi partners. Liberty

Global may have recently acquired a majority stake in Formula E , but it’s clear who really pays the

bills here, and who’s involvement cannot be questioned in any way, shape or form.

In May, Saudia Airlines produced a promotional video in which striker Aleksander Isak drives an

NUFC liveried Gen 3 Formula E car to St. James’ park, in front of a group of over 100 NUFC fans

that responded to a call out to be part of the film. Jeff Dodds claimed that the video showcased the

shared vision for the three companies: “as the wheels of Formula E race alongside the iconic wings

of Saudia and the passionate spirit of Newcastle United.”

Whilst on the surface the video seems like a harmless bit of fun, there’s one thing that unites the

three brands of Formula E, NUFC and Saudia Airlines; they’re all being funded by the same

source. The collaboration served as a power move by the Saudi government, showing off two of

their most valuable sporting assets that they purchased.

For me, the advert was a clear demonstration of how NUFC fans against sports washing and fans

of Formula E are united in the same conflict against a dangerous and murderous regime that has

captured the sports we love, and attempted to manufacture our consent for the partnership. The

time has come to raise awareness and to ask the questions that those in Formula E are either too

afraid or frankly too ignorant to ask.

Formula E claimed that it would help change Saudi Arabia for the better. But if anything, the

number of brutal executions, arrests and crackdowns have increased in the last few years; they

have tacitly enabled and normalised human rights abuses with their silence. Formula E’s fans still

hold true to the ethos and values that it started with; Formula E itself has sold it’s soul to the

highest bidder, and now we are left with just empty rhetoric.

Written By Edward Hunter

Saudi Arabia - Olympic Games Paris 2024

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 19:21:53 GMT

A nation increasingly known for its ambitious sports investments, is also grappling with a stark reality: a dramatic increase in its execution rate.

Saudi Arabia has dramatically increased its spending on sports, from $1.5 billion between 2016 and 2021 to at least $6.3 billion between 2021 and 2023, a more than fourfold increase. During the earlier period, Saudi Arabia experienced a 300% growth in the number of Olympic athlete participants, rising from 11 to 33 people. However, this trend reversed sharply in the 2021 to 2023 period, with the number of Saudi Olympic participants plummeting by 366%, down to just 9 people.

Interestingly, Saudi Arabia's sports spending in the later period exceeded the annual GDP of a country like Fiji, which is $4.9 billion, even though Fiji has 3.5 times more participants than Saudi Arabia in the 2024 Olympics. Based on these data points, it appears that Saudi Arabia's massive investment in sport has not translated into commensurate success, suggesting that the spending has not yielded the expected benefits.

Saudi Arabia's Execution Rate Soars Amidst Sports Investments Saudi Arabia, a nation increasingly known for its ambitious sports investments, is also grappling with a stark reality: a dramatic increase in its execution rate . While the country executed an average of 84 people per year before 2015, this figure has climbed significantly in recent years. From 2015 to 2024, the average number of executions has risen to 130 per year, representing a 50% increase.

This upward trend has become even more pronounced in recent years, with 2022 and 2023 witnessing a particularly alarming spike. In 2022, a staggering 196 people were executed, followed by 172 executions in 2023. This translates to an average of 184 executions per year during this period. The sharp increase in executions comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is actively investing in sports, hosting major events, and signing lucrative deals with international athletes. This strategy, aimed at enhancing the country's international image and promoting itself as a modern and progressive nation, stands in stark contrast to the grim reality of its rising execution rate Saudi Arabia, a nation with a population of less than 37 million, is making a significant push into the world of sports. With a youthful demographic, where 63% of the population is under 30, the Kingdom is investing heavily in sporting endeavors, particularly in recent years.

This investment is evident in the upcoming hosting of international esports games, strategically timed to coincide with the Paris Olympics. while Saudi Arabia boasts a staggering 67% of its population as gamers, exceeding 21 million young individuals, there is a noticeable lack of investment in traditional sports that could potentially lead to genuine sporting success on the world stage. The focus on esports, while popular among the youth, is seen by some as a deliberate strategy to distract from the Kingdom's human rights abuses and political shortcomings. The timing of the international esports games, coinciding with the Paris Olympics, further fuels this suspicion. By hosting such events, Saudi Arabia aims to project an image of modernity and progress, overshadowing its internal issues.

While the Kingdom's investments in sports may entertain its young population, the lack of focus on developing world-class athletes in traditional disciplines raises serious questions about the true purpose of these expenditures.

"Saudi Arabia is on track to shatter its own grim record for executions in a single year. The kingdom has already executed over 100 people since the beginning of 2024, and with the current pace of executions continuing, it is poised to surpass the previous high of over 200 executions in a single year." Said a Saudi Dissident that wishes to remain anonymous for safety reasons.

"The correlation is startling to think about. I personally would think that they were afraid to enter too many people into the Olympic games. After all, giving someone who cannot be trusted to keep their mouth shut is dangerous to the already fragile reputation MBS has been trying to build. There is also the fact that very recently a Saudi female fitness instructor Manahel al-Otaibi was sentanced to 11 years in prison for asking for her human rights. It begs the question, how many other potential athletes were not put forward because they were considered a risk if given a platform to do so and how many potential athletes are either dead of locked up for speaking out?" - Elise Evans Martin.

Author: HRM - Saudi Students Working On Saudi Human Rights

Elise Evans Martin

Proud Dissident of Saudi Arabia | Female Women's Rights Activist

Author | Speaker & Executive Director of HRM (Human Rights Matter)

A new type of football jersey has appeared here at home. This worries Rasmus.

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 17:12:57 GMT

Rasmus Augustesen has started seeing jerseys from Saudi Arabian clubs in the cityscape. According to several voices, this is a symptom of a "really concerning" trend that has now also reached children's football.

Every time Rasmus Augustesen steps outside, he automatically counts the football jerseys he sees in the city.

"I've always enjoyed doing that. There's a Randers jersey there, and a Brøndby jersey here. It's fun to see who people support," says the die-hard football fan.

In the past year, however, new football jerseys have appeared. Jerseys that Rasmus Augustesen had never seen before in Denmark. More and more often, he has spotted them in various places, especially on children and teenagers.

And there are more of them coming, says Rasmus Augustesen, to his great concern:

"When I saw those jerseys for the first time, I thought something you're probably not supposed to say out loud. It wasn't very nice. The next thing I thought was that they probably don't know what the jerseys represent. Because if they did, I assume they wouldn't have worn them in the first place, as they are a symbol of football's death," he says.

The reason for Rasmus Augustesen's not-so-nice thoughts lies in the origin of the jerseys.

They come from Saudi Arabia, a country criticized for its lack of human rights.

With massive bundles of money from the oil they've been pumping from the ground for a long time, but whose heyday is over, the country has bet big on the entertainment industry and football as the next goldmine with exorbitant sums.

A strategy so grand and successful that its results are seen worldwide.

Including in children's rooms.

And in the cityscape, where Rasmus Augustesen instinctively spots football jerseys.

A year and a half ago, one of the country's biggest clubs, Al-Nassr, brought the world's most influential football player, Cristiano Ronaldo, to the state.

And when Cristiano Ronaldo flaps his wings in the Middle East, you feel it, if not a hurricane, then a stiff breeze all the way up in Denmark.

Rasmus Augustesen and others want to address and warn against this.

Because according to him, the football jerseys are not just clothing. Their significance goes far beyond that.

"Concerning" Trend

Wherever Cristiano Ronaldo goes, his faithful disciples—his fans—follow.

Many of the fans who also followed the world star in the football clubs Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus have once again changed colors and are now wearing blue and yellow jerseys.

Now they follow the Saudi club Al-Nassr through thick and thin.

In three days, the club went from having 800,000 to 10 million followers on Instagram after the world star signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club. Today, the club has over 26 million followers.

But it hasn't been cheap. Ronaldo's annual salary is nearly 14 billion Danish kroner, making him the world's highest-paid player.

Shortly after Ronaldo's move, major players like Neymar, Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, and N'Golo Kanté followed suit, trading the green grass for the golden desert sand.

Today, Saudi Arabia is teeming with players who, a few years ago, were stars throughout Europe.

According to Hans Bonde, a professor at the Department of Sports and Nutrition at the University of Copenhagen, not only the arrival of players but also the continuous support from fans is evidence that the Saudi clubs' "sportswashing" is reaching further and succeeding:

"If a regime can gain some of the legitimacy and charisma of football icons, the star dust they have, by getting even the very young children to associate the players' magic with the country's regime, then they've come very far with their sportswashing," he says.

The term sportswashing is derived from the well-known term money laundering. It refers to states, for example, organizing major sports events or sports clubs to gain positive publicity and divert attention from the country's "human rights abuses," according to Amnesty's website.

Thus, the country appears more inclusive, cosmopolitan, colorful, and exciting than it actually is, Hans Bonde points out:

"Because in the euphoria that arises, many people forget the regime's human rights-denying character. The many children and young people who have not yet developed the same ability for critical thinking as adults will associate the logos with something positive. One of the purposes of this sportswashing is that Saudi Arabia wants to appear as a soft power. It's cultural propaganda, and it works."

According to Hans Bonde, the trend is "really concerning," and he is raising the alarm.

Rasmus Augustesen is doing the same.

More Selfish Today

Rasmus Augustesen is 33 years old and has been an avid Brøndby fan for 25 of them.

He has experienced how his beloved club has been taken over by what he considers something terrible from the outside in recent years.

An American investment firm named GFH bought Brøndby IF almost two years ago, and since then, he has worn an orange scarf at the stadium to protest the ownership.

Because it goes against something very special, especially in Danish football: Community.

"It used to be all about the club and only the club. It wasn't about money or profit but about community. Everything is changing now. Even among fans, who increasingly support players rather than clubs. Apparently, everything has become more selfish, which I think is reflected in the times. So apparently, human rights don't matter at all as long as you want a Ronaldo jersey."

He is a member of the group "Reclaim The Game," and along with other fans worldwide, including Newcastle supporter John Hird (who also views the desert state's football jerseys very critically) and a female dissident from Saudi Arabia, he fights against sportswashing in football.

That's why he didn't hesitate to participate in an interview..

"I want to inform people about the significance of their actions. Wearing a football jersey from Saudi Arabia is not without consequences," says Rasmus Augustesen.

If Children Beg for a Ronaldo Jersey

It can be hard not to give in when children want to imitate their big idols and wear the same clothes as them.

But according to Rasmus Augustesen, one must stand firm.

"Parents have a huge responsibility to resist this trend and not support a totalitarian state, which you do if you buy a Saudi football jersey," he says.

"The children probably follow their idols on TikTok and Instagram, so it's natural for them to be influenced. But parents—and the general football fan—should take a much stronger stance on the development we see in football. Whether it involves watching the World Cup in Qatar or buying an Al-Nassr jersey."

Hans Bonde supports this message:

"You have to be careful not to be the restrictive parent because that can actually provoke a rebellious reaction. Then it's exciting and forbidden to wear a Ronaldo jersey. But it's a fantastic opportunity to explain to your child about politics, sports, and the democratic conversation—because they are undeniably connected," he says and continues:

"Then you can explain that when Ronaldo advertises for Saudi Arabia, it's not just because he's a great football player, but because they can use him politically."

Rasmus Augustesen also offers an alternative to the Saudi jerseys: Support your local club!

"It can be difficult to explain to your child, who loves Neymar, that they can't have the jersey, but instead, parents can try to restore the story of local roots and community by showing and telling their children where football comes from—the people."

"At least then something good will come out of this trend."

Author: Rasmus L. Augustesen

Twitter: @RLAugustesen

How Fan Movements Are Reshaping Football's Future

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:41:26 GMT

In the present day, I find myself passionately immersed in the world of football, especially as a devoted Brøndby fan. The journey through the tumultuous waters of club ownership has been nothing short of riveting, with our beloved club at the center of it all.

As the global football landscape evolves, so do the dynamics of club ownership. Across the world, fans are witnessing their cherished clubs being bought and sold like commodities. It's a phenomenon that's impacting clubs of all sizes, from the biggest giants to the smaller, community-rooted teams.

Take, for instance, the rise of mega-investors and oligarchs who see football clubs as attractive assets. Clubs are no longer just about local pride; they're now part of international investment portfolios. It's a trend that raises concerns about the soul of the sport. Are these new owners driven by a genuine love for the game and its traditions, or are they solely motivated by financial gain?

In Brøndby, the "Bevar Brøndby" movement took root in response to this very question. They saw their beloved club, with its rich history and deep community ties, facing a crossroads. The fear was that the unique identity that made Brøndby IF special would be diluted or lost altogether.

But this story isn't unique to Denmark. Around the world, fans are grappling with the same uncertainties. From the Premier League in England to La Liga in Spain, fans are questioning whether their clubs can maintain their local roots, traditions, and values in the face of corporate ownership.

The heart of the issue lies in the tension between passion and profit. Football is more than just a business; it's a way of life for fans like me. It's the chants in the stands, the emotions on matchday, and the shared history that spans generations. It's the feeling of belonging to something bigger than ourselves.

While I may not be on the frontlines of the "Bevar Brøndby" movement, I am an ardent supporter of their cause. I understand the importance of preserving the unique spirit of our club and ensuring that it remains a source of pride for the community.

As I follow the developments in the world of football ownership, I can't help but feel a sense of urgency. The battle to protect our clubs' identities is ongoing, and the outcome will shape the future of the sport we hold dear. Whether it's in Denmark or elsewhere in the world, one thing remains clear: fans like me will continue to stand up for what we believe in, defending the soul of football against the forces of commercialization. Preserving Football's Heart: Germany's Unique '50+1 Rule' in Club Ownership In Germany, the landscape of football club ownership stands apart from many other countries, primarily due to the "50+1 rule." This rule has become a defining feature of German football and plays a crucial role in preserving the connection between clubs and their supporters.

The "50+1 rule" stipulates that the majority of voting rights within a football club must be owned by its members, which are typically the fans. In practical terms, this means that the club's members must retain at least 50% of the voting rights, plus one additional vote. This regulation ensures that fans have a significant say in how their club is run, even when external investors come into play.

This unique approach to ownership has several key implications:

Fan Influence: The "50+1 rule" places a strong emphasis on fan influence within German football clubs. Fans are often organized into supporter associations that have a direct say in club decisions, including board elections, financial matters, and significant strategic choices. This direct fan involvement helps maintain a strong bond between the club and its supporters.

Preventing Takeovers: The rule acts as a safeguard against hostile takeovers and excessive external influence. While investors can inject capital into clubs, they cannot control the club's destiny entirely. This ensures that the club remains grounded in its local community and retains its unique identity.

Financial Stability: Clubs in Germany are generally seen as more financially stable compared to those in countries where foreign ownership is more common. The "50+1 rule" discourages risky financial behavior, as fans and members are motivated to maintain the club's long-term health rather than seeking immediate profit.

Competitive Balance: The rule contributes to a relatively balanced competitive landscape in German football. Clubs with substantial external investment must still adhere to the rule, which helps maintain a sense of fairness and competition within the league.

However, it's essential to note that the "50+1 rule" isn't without its critics. Some argue that it limits the financial resources available to clubs, making it challenging to compete with European football giants in terms of transfer fees and player salaries. Still, many fans and stakeholders view this limitation as a necessary trade-off to preserve the soul of German football.

In summary, Germany's "50+1 rule" is a testament to the country's commitment to maintaining the traditional connection between football clubs and their fans. It's a model that ensures fan influence, financial stability, and competitive balance while fending off excessive external ownership and the risks it may bring. As football ownership evolves globally, Germany remains a unique and intriguing example of how clubs can remain firmly rooted in their communities.

By Rasmus Augustesen

SUPERCOPA DE ESPAÑA: EL CORRUPTO ACUERDO DEL FÚTBOL ESPAÑOL CON LOS DICTADORES SAUDÍES

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 16:08:11 GMT

Se ignora a los hinchas. El régimen saudí escenifica maniobras publicitarias para desviar la atención de la opresión permanente

La Supercopa de España arranca de nuevo esta semana y, una vez más, el nuevo formato de semifinales se disputará en Riad, la capital saudí.

Los campeones y subcampeones de la Copa del Rey de la temporada pasada (Real Madrid y Osasuna) se unirán al campeón de Liga, el FC Barcelona, y al tercer clasificado, el Atlético de Madrid, en la lucha de los cuatro equipos por el primer trofeo nacional oficial de la temporada 2023-34.

No es de extrañar que los ya super-ricos que controlan el fútbol español quieran su parte del pastel saudí. Los derechos humanos no importan cuando hay millones de euros en juego.

El 11 de septiembre de 2019, la RFEF (Federación Española de Fútbol) firmó un contrato con Arabia Saudí por 40 millones de euros para trasladar allí la Supercopa de España durante los próximos seis años, con un valor total de 240 millones de euros a repartir entre Federación, clubes y agencia intermediaria. En el contrato firmado con Sela, la empresa pública saudí, la Federación se garantizaba recibir 40 millones de euros por cada edición, mientras que Kosmos Holding -la empresa de Piqué (ex futbolista del FC Barcelona)- obtiene cuatro millones de euros por cada uno de los seis años firmados.

Este sucio acuerdo se hizo sin tener en cuenta a los aficionados al fútbol y ha vinculado al fútbol español con el despótico régimen saudí. Es un ejemplo más de cómo los dictadores saudíes utilizan el fútbol para desviar la atención de las numerosas y graves violaciones de derechos humanos.

Amnistía Internacional criticó la decisión de celebrar la competición en Arabia Saudí y acusó a la RFEF de "colaborar en este "blanqueo" de la imagen de Arabia Saudí", y afirmó que se habían producido muy pocas mejoras en los "abusos sistemáticos contra los homosexuales y la continua discriminación contra las mujeres."

En 2022 el único jugador que se pronunció en contra de llevar los partidos a Arabia Saudí fue el delantero bilbaíno Rául García, cuando centró sus críticas en la imposibilidad de jugar ante la afición de su equipo porque el torneo se juega a miles de kilómetros y es casi imposible que los seguidores puedan asistir por la distancia y el coste.

La locutora de la Cadena SER Àngels Barceló, cuyo programa matinal es seguido por casi tres millones de oyentes en España, fue más directa en sus críticas a la decisión de vender los derechos de la Super Copa a la dictadura saudí. Llamó hipócritas a la federación y a los clubes.

"Ningún régimen pagaría millones de dólares para que alguien viniera de fuera a cambiar un régimen que no tiene planes de cambiarse a sí mismo", dijo Barceló. "El fútbol español se mancha con esta competición, al igual que los equipos que participan en ella. Después, todos tendrán más dinero en el banco, pero a partir de ahora que no nos hablen de valores ni de juego limpio."

En vísperas de la Supercopa de este año, la consejera catalana de Igualdad y Feminismo, Tània Verge, criticó las recomendaciones del FC Barcelona a los aficionados que pudieran viajar a Riad. El club aconsejó a los aficionados que evitaran las muestras de afecto y las demostraciones de apoyo al colectivo LGTBI.

Para Verge, la decisión del ex presidente de la RFEF, Luis Rubiales de llevar esta competición a Arabia Saudí, "un país que no respeta los derechos LGTBI ni los de las mujeres, ha sido, es y será una vergüenza que hay que revertir".

El Observatorio contra la Homofobia (OCH) de Cataluña también ha hecho constar su "absoluto rechazo" a la decisión del FC Barcelona de jugar la Supercopa en Arabia Saudí, un país que vulnera los derechos y libertades de las mujeres y de las personas LGTBI.

La RFEF está colaborando con el proyecto de ‘sportwashing’ del régimen saudí para desviar las críticas de los aficionados a la decisión de llevar la Supercopa a Arabia Saudí. La RFEF participa actualmente en diversos actos en Arabia Saudí.

Concretamente, la seleccionadora española Montse Tomé impartió una sesión de formación a entrenadoras de fútbol femenino de Arabia Saudí en Yeda.

La próxima cita será en la semifinal entre Barcelona y Osasuna, cuando las mujeres representantes del fútbol en Arabia sean las protagonistas del llamado "Palco del fútbol femenino" en el partido.

También habrá una charla motivacional a cargo de la campeona olímpica de natación Thais Hernández.

Estos trucos publicitarios se utilizan para ocultar la situación real a la que se enfrentan las mujeres saudíes. En su reciente informe, ESOHR afirmaba: "En 2023, las mujeres de Arabia Saudí se enfrentaron a detenciones y condenas arbitrarias en medio de la prohibición continuada de cualquier actividad y el impedimento a las activistas de viajar y moverse libremente. Además de las detenciones de personalidades influyentes en los medios sociales y de las remisiones al tribunal especializado en terrorismo por expresar sus opiniones, la organización documentó la detención de mujeres por represalias y las desapariciones forzadas de algunas de ellas. Además, la información confirmó que varias mujeres detenidas sufrieron malos tratos y tortura.”

Reclaim The Game apoya los esfuerzos de los aficionados al fútbol en el Estado español para revertir este sucio acuerdo de lavado deportivo entre la RFEF y y el régimen saudí para traer la Supercopa de vuelta a casa.

John Hird - NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing

SPANISH SUPER CUP: SPANISH FOOTBALL’S CORRUPT DEAL WITH SAUDI DICTATORS

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 15:15:46 GMT

Supporters ignored. Saudi regime stages publicity stunts to deflect attention away from ongoing oppression

The Spanish Super Cup kicks off again this week and once again the new final-four format will be staged in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

Last season’s Copa del Rey winners and runners-up (Real Madrid and Osasuna) will be joined by La Liga winners FC Barcelona and third placed Atletico Madrid as the four sides battle it out for the first official domestic silverware of the 2023-34 season.

No wonder the already super-rich figures who control Spanish football want their share of the Saudi pie. Human rights are not important when millions of euros are at stake.

On 11 September 2019, the RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) signed a contract with Saudi Arabia for €40 million to move the Spanish Super Cup there for the next six years, with a total value of €240 million to be shared between Federation, clubs and intermediary agency. In the contract signed with Sela, the Saudi public company, the Federation was guaranteed to receive 40 million euros for each edition, while Kosmos Holding - the company of Piqué (former FC Barcelona footballer) - gets four million euros for each of the six years signed.

This dirty deal was made without regard for football fans and has linked Spanish football to the despotic Saudi regime. It is yet another example of how Saudi dictators use football to divert attention from the many serious human rights violations.

Amnesty International criticised the decision to hold the competition in Saudi Arabia and accused the RFEF of “collaboration in this ‘whitewashing’ of the image of Saudi Arabia”, and said there had been very little improvement in the “the systematic abuse of homosexuals and continued discrimination against women.”

In 2022 the only player to speak out against taking the games to Saudi Arabia was Bilbao forward Rául García, when he focused his criticism on the inability to play in front of his team’s fans because the tournament is played thousands of kilometres away and is almost impossible for supporters to attend due to distance and cost.

Cadena SER radio host Àngels Barceló, whose morning show is followed by nearly three million listeners in Spain, was more direct in his criticism of the decision to sell the rights of La Supa Copa to the Saudi dictatorship. He called the federation and the clubs hypocrites.

“No regime would pay millions of dollars for someone to come from aboard to change a regime that has no plans to change itself,” Barceló said. “Spanish soccer tarnishes itself with this competition, as do the teams that participate in it. Afterwards, they will all have more money in the bank, but from now on just don’t let them tell us about values and fair play.”

On the eve of this year’s Supa Copa, the Catalan Minister for Equality and Feminism, Tània Verge, criticised FC Barcelona's recommendations to fans who may travel to Riyadh. The club advised fans to avoid showing affection and demonstrations of support for the LGTBI collective.

For Verge, the decision of the former president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales to take this competition to Saudi Arabia, "a country that does not respect LGBTI rights or those of women, has been, is and will be a disgrace to be reversed".

The Observatory against Homophobia (OCH) of Catalonia has also recorded its "absolute rejection" of FC Barcelona's decision to play the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, a country that violates the rights and freedoms of women and LGTBI people.

The RFEF is collaborating with the Saudi regime’s sportwashing project to deflect fan’s criticism of the decision to take the Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. The RFEF is currently participating in various events in Saudi Arabia.

Specifically, Spain’s coach Montse Tomé gave a training session to Saudi Arabian women's football coaches in Jeddah.

The next event will be at the semi-final between Barcelona and Osasuna, when women representing football in Arabia will be the protagonists of the so-called ‘Women's football’ box at the match.

There will also be a motivational talk by Olympic swimming champion Thais Hernandez.

These publicity stunts are used to cover the real situation facing Saudi women. In their recent report, ESOHR stated: “In 2023, women in Saudi Arabia faced arrests and arbitrary sentences amidst the continued prohibition of any activity and the prevention of activists from traveling and moving freely. In addition to the arrests of influential figures on social media and referrals to the specialized terrorism court for expressing their opinions, the organisation documented the arrest of women on retaliatory grounds and enforced disappearances of some of them. Furthermore, information confirmed that several detained women experienced mistreatment and torture.

Reclaim The Game supports the efforts of football supporters in the Spanish state to reverse this dirty, sportswashing deal between the RFEF and and the Saudi regime to bring the Super Cup back home.

John Hird - NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing

Women's World Cup Saudi Arabia 2035

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 13:56:31 GMT

Saudi Arabia: The Largest Maximum Security Prison For Women Wants To Host The Women's World Cup In 2035.

Let's start with how absurd it is for this country to host the Women's World Cup. As a woman and a fan, I am personally appalled, and as a women's rights activist, I am concerned. I am concerned not just for the female players but for the fans who will travel to see the event in Saudi Arabia.

My concern stems from first-hand experience with the laws that govern women on the ground. Male guardianship is a law that requires every woman to have a man who will have the final say on the most basic aspects of her life until her death, no matter her age. Reema bint Bandar Al Saud came on TV and announced that Male Guardianship is over, followed by an announcement that the age of maturity for women is 21, the same age as it is for men. She used the word can a lot. A woman can now obtain a passport without her father's permission. A woman can travel without permission, and a woman can open a bank account without permission. A woman can… but she conveniently forgot to mention that a woman can also have those same new reforms denied to her by her male guardian. Under the new personal status law, which, instead of doing away with male guardianship, codified it and just gave it a new name.

Regardless of age, a woman can be reported as a runaway by her male guardian. A woman can be stopped at the airport at the request of her guardian and sent straight to a holding cell or worse, the well-known Dar al-Reaya (The House of Care), which is a women's prison that was publicized as a shelter for abused women when in fact, it is nothing of the sort. Once picked up when reported by your guardian, you go nowhere unless your guardian signs you out. Even if that same guardian is the person who raped, beat, and abused you.

I point all of this out to help you, the fans, and the players understand that although you might think this law does not apply to you, you would be wrong. As a woman entering a country where women have no rights, you too will have no equal rights once on Saudi soil. Even visitors have, as they are called, "sponsors." These sponsors have similar powers to guardians over their female wards. They can block you from leaving the country, keep your passport, and have you arrested. Your word will mean nothing as a foreigner and especially as a woman. It is a country where the courts are happy to work on hearsay and lock women, and especially activists, up with little to no evidence needed. All you need to do is upset the wrong person, and you will find yourself being asked to sign a confession in a police station that was drafted hours before you arrived.

I would not have believed all this myself if I had not been an American citizen born to two American parents. I was laughed at by passport control and told I was not allowed to leave the country until my Saudi stepfather, my sponsor, and my guardian said I could. Remember that it's always easy to enter a prison, but it is much harder to get back out.

We, as the fans and the players, need to stand firm that Saudi Arabia should not be allowed to host an event that represents and serves as a platform for creating female role models and breaking long-standing gender stereotypes. We must stand as role models for the strong Saudi women who are being silenced, trampled on, and denied their every human right by the Saudi Regime. They need our voices to say NO MORE. If you want the Women's World Cup, show us that you respect women, especially those of your own country, as much as we do.

Elise Evans Martin

Women’s Rights Activist | Called The Katniss Everdeen of Saudi Arabia.,

Speaker | Author | Proud Dissident of Saudi Arabia - Eliseevans.com

JOINT STATEMENT FROM NUFC FANS AGAINST SPORTSWASHING AND UNITED AGAINST SPORTSWASHING

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:54:32 GMT

JOINT STATEMENT FROM NUFC FANS AGAINST SPORTSWASHING AND UNITED AGAINST SPORTSWASHING

While NUFC play MUFC on Sunday, groups of fans from both clubs will be united in a common cause, regardless of the result on the pitch.

We are Newcastle United and Manchester United fans standing together to call for an end to the sale of our historic clubs to states which use them to sportswash their human rights abuses.

When Manchester City was bought by Sheikh Mansour in 2008 he was seen as a rich benefactor, and the fact that he was the brother of the president and deputy prime minister of a country run as a dictatorship was not considered important. We now know that the UAE is one of the most oppressive regimes in the world.

Much more was known about the poor human rights record in Saudi Arabia yet the Premier League and UK government did nothing to prevent their purchase of Newcastle United.

There is now concern over the legitimacy of the purchase after the chairman, Yasir al-Rumayyan was described in a US court document as “a sitting minister of the Saudi government”. Richard Masters has said under questioning in a parliamentary committee this week that, "there may or may not be an investigation going on” into the Saudi dictatorship’s ownership of Newcastle United. As football fans, we demand full transparency on this issue. There should be no ‘secret deals’ with repressive regimes, no matter how much money they have promised to invest in the Premier League. It’s time for Richard Masters to come clean and publish what the ‘legal and binding assurances’ given to the Premier League were.

Now we have the threat of a third club, Manchester United, being taken over by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, close family to the president and chairman of the Qatari Islamic Bank. This follows the exposure of Qatari human rights abuses during the World Cup. We know that Qatar has a law No. (25) of 2002 which makes any significant investment subject to direct supervision of the state.

On March 30th, the Premier League agreed to a toughened up Owner’s and Director’s Test which includes disqualification for ‘human rights abuses.’ This is welcome. However, we remain concerned that an individual from a repressive regime can still become an owner if it is not made clear that the approval of a significant investment is dictated by the ruling family in these Gulf states. It is impossible to separate Sheikh Mansour from the UAE authorities and the same is true of Skeikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Qatari authorities.

As football fans, regardless of our club colours we believe dictatorships such as Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Qatar should be disqualified from owning clubs because of their appalling human rights records.

Further, pumping money disproportionately into a small number of clubs distorts the fairness of the game. We are sure the fans of the other 17 other clubs in the Premier League will agree with us.

We invite all football fans to join us in opposing sportswashing and state ownership of our football clubs and to support human rights. Football fans united can force the government and Premier League to act.

VISION, MISSION, AND STRATEGY FOR THE EUROPEAN "RECLAIM THE GAME" CAMPAIGN

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:41:32 GMT

VISION, MISSION, AND STRATEGY FOR THE EUROPEAN "RECLAIM THE GAME" CAMPAIGN

Mission Statement:

Football is perhaps the world's most popular sporting and cultural institution. With the awarding of the World Cup 2034 to Saudi Arabia, global football has definitively lost its integrity. FIFA has sold its soul. While national football associations and supporters in Europe do not agree with holding World Cups in countries which commit gross human rights abuses, they still depend on FIFA for the representation of their teams in World Cup and other football competitions. Clubs, media and global football organisations have become the property of countries and companies that prefer money and power over the love of the game. Nation states have started to use ownership of our football clubs as vehicles for soft power and sportswashing.

As a result, the total ownership of the game of football now lies completely out of the control and influence of the people who created it in the past and who still love the game the most. Football feels increasingly separated from its roots in our many and diverse communities.

The game of football needs a reset. A new balance in which the fans, supporters and other passionate football enthusiasts regain part of the ownership and in which money functions as a facilitator to improve and innovate the game instead of being merely a goal. We need to reclaim the game!

Vision:

For fans, football is an important part of their lives. Therefore it should represent universal values in life like integrity, honesty and equality of all people. The beautiful game should be organized in a democratic way. Football democracy would mean the fans choosing the leadership of clubs, national unions and global representation. Sponsors and money should be a way to improve and enhance the game, not the overriding goal as it is unfortunately becoming. Concentrating the power and wealth in fewer and fewer hands in the football pyramid, including nation state and multi-club ownership is not sustainable financially or acceptable morally. If football ceases to have a level playing field it will no longer be a sport.

Mission:

1. Legislation in Europe on ownership of football clubs before 2034. Nation states cannot be allowed to own our football clubs. Companies have to apply the historic and democratic values of the game and fans must be involved in the ownership.

2. A reinvention of the global organization (currently FIFA) of the game. There have been numerous cases of corruption and vote rigging at the top levels of FIFA. For the sake of the future of football as a sport for and by the people rather than as a money making plaything of the mega-rich, fundamental changes in the administration of the game are urgently needed. Fans and democracy are the starting point.

3. Opposition to the proposed World Cup in Saudi Arabia. Human rights abusing dictatorships cannot be allowed to use the beautiful game to sportswash away their crimes.

4. Appeal to football associations, legislators, players and fans in Europe to boycott the 2034 World Cup and if it goes ahead to organize an alternative ‘Human Rights’ World Cup.

5. Urge sponsors to rethink their support for dictatorships hosting events, safeguarding human rights, and upholding CSR values.

Strategy:

Unite and communicate with the same message and apply pressure on those people and organizations that can contribute to our mission and who approve of our vision.

Gerard Arink

Pro2 Foundation

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Saudi World Cup Statement

FOOTBALL FANS ACROSS THE WORLD NEED TO UNITE AGAINST FIFA AWARDING THE 2034 WORLD CUP TO SAUDI ARABIA

The Danish FA’s Surrender to Saudi Arabia

When Football Forgets Its Moral Compass

Blood money and missiles: How Formula E sold it’s soul to PIF

Saudi Arabia - Olympic Games Paris 2024

A nation increasingly known for its ambitious sports investments, is also grappling with a stark reality: a dramatic increase in its execution rate.

A new type of football jersey has appeared here at home. This worries Rasmus.

Rasmus Augustesen has started seeing jerseys from Saudi Arabian clubs in the cityscape. According to several voices, this is a symptom of a "really concerning" trend that has now also reached children's football.

How Fan Movements Are Reshaping Football's Future

SUPERCOPA DE ESPAÑA: EL CORRUPTO ACUERDO DEL FÚTBOL ESPAÑOL CON LOS DICTADORES SAUDÍES

Se ignora a los hinchas. El régimen saudí escenifica maniobras publicitarias para desviar la atención de la opresión permanente

SPANISH SUPER CUP: SPANISH FOOTBALL’S CORRUPT DEAL WITH SAUDI DICTATORS

Supporters ignored. Saudi regime stages publicity stunts to deflect attention away from ongoing oppression

Women's World Cup Saudi Arabia 2035

Saudi Arabia: The Largest Maximum Security Prison For Women Wants To Host The Women's World Cup In 2035.

JOINT STATEMENT FROM NUFC FANS AGAINST SPORTSWASHING AND UNITED AGAINST SPORTSWASHING

JOINT STATEMENT FROM NUFC FANS AGAINST SPORTSWASHING AND UNITED AGAINST SPORTSWASHING ﻿

VISION, MISSION, AND STRATEGY FOR THE EUROPEAN "RECLAIM THE GAME" CAMPAIGN

VISION, MISSION, AND STRATEGY FOR THE EUROPEAN "RECLAIM THE GAME" CAMPAIGN

JOINT STATEMENT FROM NUFC FANS AGAINST SPORTSWASHING AND UNITED AGAINST SPORTSWASHING