Women’s World Cup 2023: Why Australia and New Zealand do not want the Saudi Department of Tourism to sponsor the event?
Australia and New Zealand have asked FIFA for an ‘urgent explanation’ of reports that Saudi Arabia’s Department of Tourism will be named as the official sponsor of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
A deal with Saudi Arabia is about to be announced and has already been criticized by human rights groups.
Saudi Arabia has been accused of human rights violations.
The football bodies of Australia and New Zealand have said they were not consulted about this and are “disappointed” to learn of it.
Football bodies from both countries have written to football’s world governing body, while Amnesty International has described it as ‘exploitation of the game in the most blatant way’.
The Women’s World Cup is being held in cities across Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, and organizers expect a record two billion people to watch the tournament.
The sponsorship deal, which has yet to be officially announced, is part of a new partnership-based structure created by FIFA to allow brands to support the women’s game through can go
Although not many details of the deal have been made public, insiders claim that it will give a significant boost to the women’s game and that the proceeds will be reinvested in football.
Football Australia said in a statement that ‘Football Australia is aware that FIFA has entered into a partnership agreement in relation to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023’.
‘We are very disappointed to learn that Football Australia was not consulted on this matter prior to any decision being made. Football Australia and Football New Zealand have jointly written to FIFA asking it to clarify the situation urgently.
Football New Zealand has further stated that ‘if these reports are true we are deeply shocked and disappointed as FIFA has not consulted Football New Zealand on this matter’.
Sponsor of Saudi Department of Tourism Ridiculous: ‘A woman in the country cannot even do a job without a man’s permission’
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sporting events in recent years, but the kingdom has been accused of trying to cover up its record of human rights abuses through ‘sports events’.
Saudi Arabia has strong protections for human rights, women’s rights and the use of the death penalty.
Although Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has introduced some reforms such as lifting the ban on women driving, women’s rights campaigners are still jailed.
Western intelligence agencies claim the Crown ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 – which they deny.
Nakita White of Amnesty International Australia says that ‘It is ridiculous for the Saudi Department of Tourism to sponsor the biggest women’s sporting event in the world because in Saudi Arabia, because you are a woman, you cannot work without the permission of your male guardian. Can’t even do it.
Saudi Arabia’s sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisol, told BBC Sports he believed the country would always face international criticism.
Prince Abdulaziz said that ‘I think we will always be criticized but we have to look at what is best for our country and our people and what is preparing our youth for the future’.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia was awarded the hosting rights of the men’s Asian Cup in 2027.
Saudi Arabia is also bidding to host the first ever Women’s Asian Cup in 2026.
Although Saudi Arabia sent women to the Olympics for the first time in 2012, the kingdom has taken steps to promote female football players in recent years, allowing female fans to attend football matches for the first time in 2018. had gone
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has appointed two women to its board of directors, and in 2019, women’s football has become a regular department.
The women’s football league started in 2020 and last month Saudi Arabia hosted and won a four-nation women’s football tournament to join the FIFA women’s world rankings for the first time.
