Sports Minister Grant Robertson. Photo / Greg Bowker
Sports Minister Grant Robertson. Photo / Greg Bowker
Sports Minister Grant Robertson has urged Fifa to consider the “empowerment of women and girls” amid controversy surrounding Saudi sponsorship of this year’s Women’s World Cup co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
Visit Saudi, Saudi Arabia’s national tourism board, is reportedly set to be unveiled as a sponsor for the upcoming tournament.
The reported sponsorship has sparked controversy, with Amnesty International among many to denounce the move due to Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record.
Robertson said he hoped Fifa would factor in empowering women and girls in its sponsorships for the event.
“When it comes to women’s sport here in New Zealand we have made tremendous progress and part of that has been making sure that we are empowering women and girls in sport but also in life generally,” Robertson said in a statement to Reuters.
“I would like to think that Fifa would understand that as well, and when they are thinking about their commercial arrangements that they would factor that in.”
Sports Minister Grant Robertson and Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura ahead of the Women's World Cup draw. Photo / File
Leaders of the New Zealand and Australian football federations warned in a letter to Fifa, including president Gianni Infantino, that unilaterally sealing the Visit Saudi sponsorship could “severely tarnish the reputation” of the 32-nation tournament that starts in July.
That is despite the tourism brand being endorsed by men’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi, who was announced last year as a paid pitchman. The Visit Saudi campaign was among more than 30 sponsors at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.
Such a confrontation between a World Cup host and Fifa is unprecedented in recent history, and is likely to shine more attention on so-called “sportswashing” investments by Saudi Arabia.
“We write to express our serious disappointment and concern at the news of the apparent appointment of Visit Saudi as a sponsor,” Chris Nikou of Australia and New Zealand’s Joanna Wood wrote Wednesday in the letter to Fifa, according to the Associated Press.
“We cannot express strongly enough the potential repercussions and fallout that could result of this decision.”
The Fifa Women's World Cup trophy at the last tournament in France. Photo / Getty
Tournament organisers and government officials in both countries were said not to have been consulted, they claimed, nor offered the chance to make a counter proposal for a domestic tourism campaign.
“Australia and New Zealand, both as sovereign nations and as football associations, have for decades placed the utmost importance on gender equality, and have sought to promote these ideals around the world,” the letter continued, reminding Fifa their governments have invested hundreds of millions in the football event.
“While we acknowledge some important and positive gender equality reforms have commenced in Saudi Arabia, it remains undeniable under any reasonable standard that the rights of women remain severely restricted.”
Robertson said sponsorship was ultimately a decision for Fifa.
“The football bodies that are part of Fifa including NZ Football have written to express their concern,” he added.
“That’s where the decision-making sits, from our point of view we are focused on making sure we host a great tournament and we do empower women and girls to be active in sport and recreation.”
Fifa and Visit Saudi have yet to comment on sponsorship of the World Cup.
