What should be done to ensure mega sporting events do not harm human rights or the environment?
China hosted the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. The Asian nation has very low average annual snowfall so more than 350 snow machines were needed to pull off the event – raising sustainability concerns. Its human rights record was another flashpoint issue with a United Nations report calling the arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghur Muslims, in Xinjiang province, a potential “crime against humanity”.
Qatar this month is hosting the FIFA World Cup. The football event had to be delayed from July to November to avoid 40+°C temperatures disrupting football matches. NGO and media investigations have condemned the labour conditions of the migrant workers who built the stadiums. The Arab nation has also come under attack for laws that criminalise same-sex relationships.
What criteria should sports organisations consider when choosing a venue for international competitions such as the World Cup or the Olympics? Should countries with problematic human rights records or unsuitable climate conditions be allowed to host such events?
Let us know what you think!
Regarding the climate of the venue, I think it will simply limit the number of possible venues.
In the case of the Olympics, for example, the host would have to make preparations to meet the Olympic Charter.
So, the question of whether to allow countries with human rights problems to host the games should be judged according to the spirit of the event to be held.
開催場所の気候については、単に、開催可能な場所が限られてくると思う。
例えばオリンピックの場合、ホストはオリンピック憲章を満たすように準備をしなければならないだろう。
なので、人権に問題のある国に開催を認めるかという問題は、開催される大会の精神に従って判断されるべきではないか。
What are the ways to achieve freedom in third world countries and totalitarian countries whose citizens are unable to enjoy their fundamental rights?
ما هي سبل تحقيق الحرية في دول العالم الثالت و الدول الديكتاتورية التي لا يستطيع مواطنيها التمتع بحقوقهم الأساسية؟
We in the West do not have a clean conscience either. If you think about how we treated people in colonial times. We have not only human rights violations but also theft on our conscience. We only have to visit our museum where everything we have stolen lies. Now we act so hypocritical and have the courage to point the finger at others. I believe that sport unites and brings out the best in us. Only from this we can learn to respect each other.
Wir im westen habe auch kein reines gewissen. Wenn man denkt wie wir in colonial zeiten die Menschen behandelt haben. Wir haben nicht nur menschenrecht verletzungen sonder auch diebstahl auf unserem gewissen. Wir müssen nur unsere Museum besuchen dort liegt alles was wir gestolen haben. Nun tun wir so heuchlerisch und haben den Mut den finger auf andere zu zeigen. Ich glaube Sport vereinigt und bringt das beste aus uns. Alleine davon können wir lernen einander zu respektieren.
The venues for the event must respect all human rights, including labor rights, and the right to come and go. The countries chosen must have, as a legacy of the event, social and environmental improvements; after all, FIFA already earns too much with these events to leave nothing for the locals.
Os locais do evento tem de respeitar todos os direitos humanos, incluídos aí os os direitos trabalhistas, de ir e vir. Os países escolhidos devem ter , como herança do evento, melhorias sociais, ambientais, afinal a FIFA já ganha muito com esses eventos para nada deixar para os locais.
There is one easy solution to this dilema: if a person, or team, feel strongly against the host country of ANY international event which is intended to celebrate the things that we DO have in common, then simply stay away and don't participate.
But then don't be surprised if those countries and people stay away when the event is hosted in your own country because they believe that your way of life is lawless, decadent, immoral. Or they may even go further, to deal with what they perceive as your lack of respect, by no longer investing in your country or no longer giving you preferential access to their gas and oil supplies.
As the old English saying goes: what does around eventually comes around.
The West should stop talking big. Where is the diversity? Your imposition of ideology is what is harmful.
欧米は偉そうにものを言うのは止めろ。どこが多様なんだよ。君らの思想の押しつけこそ害悪だ。
All giant events such as World Cups are controversial, because of the amount of resources for stadiums and logistics that later remain unused.
With the new construction technologies that can be avoided, or as the next World Cup will be in three countries which I think is positive.
Todos los eventos gigantes como mundiales hay controversia, por la cantidad de recursos para estadios y logística que después queda sin uso.
Con las nuevas tecnologías de construcción eso se podrá evitar o como el próximo mundial que será en tres países lo cual me parece positivo.
Qatar is an authoritarian state, unfortunately China and Russia are clearly totalitarian states. I disagree with the columnist who claims that in China there are indications of democracy. The massacres and confinement of the Uyghur population in NW China are reiterative and as in Russia there is overt persecution of ethnic or religious minorities. But for FIFA and other international sports organizations, it seems that this does not count. The IOC should comply with the UN Charter and other DPI norms in force. Obviously, they are clearly ignored, and this must be put to an end for the future of the international games and championships.
Qatar es un estado autoritario, lamentablemente China y Rusia son estados claramente totalitarios. No estoy de acuerdo con el columnista que afirma que en China hay indicaciones de democracia. Las masacres y el confinamiento de la población Uyghur en el NO de China, son reiterativos y como en Rusia hay una manifiesta persecución a las minorías étnicas o religiosas. Pero para la FIFA y otras organizaciones internacionales deportivas, parece que ello no cuenta. El COI debería ajustarse a la Carta de la ONU y demás normas de DIP, vigentes. Obvio que son claramente ignoradas, y a esto hay que ponerle un fin en mitas al futuro de los juegos y campeonatos internacionales
I don’t think a democracy must have a good record on treating minorities. Historically, most First World states first developed their democracy in either a racist or colonial context. Today, we also have India, the largest democracy, routinely placing Muslim Kashmiris under suppression. Things are not that black-and-white. We live in a world never short of contradictions and grey areas. A hard truth is most non-Western countries will have no chance of holding these events if standards in the West are to be strictly and consistently applied universally.
There is only 1 criterion for the allocation of such occasions: common sense. However, the difficult thing is that money makes exactly this mind, which is actually more or less present in everyone, sick. The name of this disease is various and is called among other things greed, corruption, egoism...
There would be "medicines" against this disease (transparency, altruism, democratic structures, independent control bodies, etc.). But mostly the infected person is of the mistaken opinion that he is not sick at all but only cleverer than the others...
Es gibt nur 1 Kriterium für die Vergabe solcher Anlässe: gesunder Menschenverstand. Das schwierige dabei ist jedoch, dass Geld genau diesen Verstand, der eigentlich bei allen mehr oder weniger vorhanden ist, krank macht. Der Name dieser Krankheit ist vielfältig und heisst u.a. Gier, Korruption, Egoismus...
Es gäbe "Medikamente" gegen diese Krankheit (Transparenz, Altruismus, demokratische Strukturen, unabhängige Kontrollinstanzen, etc.). Doch meist ist die infizierte Person der irrigen Meinung, gar nicht krank sondern nur cleverer als die anderen zu sein...
Human rights are violated everywhere.
Migrants in particular suffer.
In 8 years I was a migrant in 9 countries.
Because of a spinal injury I cannot do physical work, so my rights are violated in the first place.
Права человека нарушают везде.
Особенно страдают мигранты.
За 8 лет я был мигрантом в 9-ти странах.
Из-за травмы позвоночника я не могу выполнять физическую работу, поэтому мои права нарушают в первую очередь.
CO2 is the least of our worries. CO2 is rising because humanity has removed vast tracts of forest and continues to do so.
Forests not only absorb vast amounts of CO2, but they create the daily water cycles of evaporation, followed by thunderstorms, regulating the regional climate and ultimately global climate.
Remove the trees and immediately the desert follows as well as shifts in weather patterns and global climate, regardless of CO2 levels.
Sport and politics don't mix!
Trying to harangue an Islamic nation to allow LGB participation in sport and society will simply not work, because their rules are according their religion, not a political notion.
Moreover, if those who are insisting upon such transformation in Qatar are still neverthless happy to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE and fly with their airlines Emirates and Etihad, then they are being very hypocritical.
In other words, why is everyone picking on Islamic Qatar whilst not simultaneously demanding the same western, Christian standards of all Islamic nations?! Of course this is ludicrous and offensive to even suggest.
In my opinion, this is really all about politics, most western nations are allies of the Sunnis, but not the Shias ruling Qatar and Iran. Go figure...
It is about freedom of speech and expression. Qatar says welcome to the whole world but in the same time says shut up.
It is about freedom of speech and expression. Qatar says welcome to the whole world but in the same time says "shut up".
If you host a world wide event which everyone can watch you can not cater it to your standards, thats discrimination. It is becoming a neutral zone for everyone to enjoy and by banning freedom of expression Qatar looks like a bully and clearly shows that it is not ready for the world and tolerance. If you want to host such events you make it nice for everyone not only for yourself. Yes people visit Dubai because it tolerates tourist, you can drink and smoke in Dubai, hold hands and hug on a street, they understand that we are tourist and they want us to come. Qatar does not understand any of it and once football is over I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to spend their holiday with their family there, where you can not gold hangs with your wife.
There is certainly no country today that has not violated people's rights and also harmed the environment. Therefore, we should better focus on sports and learn from each other. Respect also for countries that have different customs, just as we demand respect for our foreign visitors. Sport unites and we want to destroy that with our often selected values. In general, there is too much talk about values lately. This hypocrisy is of very questionable arrogant and dishonest because we do not want to recognize our mistakes.
Es gibt bestimmt kein land mehr heute der nicht Menschen rechte verletzt haben und auch der Umwelt geschadet hat. Darum sollten wir uns besser auf den sport konzentrieren und von einander lernen. Respect auch für Länder die ander Sitten haben, genau so wie wir respect verlangen für unsere fremden Besucher. Sport vereinigt und dass wollen wir nun mit unseren oft selektierten werte kaput machen. Überhaupt wird in letzter zeit zu viel über werte geredet. Diese Scheinheiligkeit ist of sehr fraglich arrogant und unehrlich denn wir wollen unsere Fehler nicht erkennen.
Environment is easy - don't go. Stop polluting the atmosphere by travelling. Only attend events you can get to on foot, by bike, e-vehicles. Human rights abuses - more difficult as these occur everywhere, every day, even in so-called civilized countries like here.
Out of respect for the environment (!) one should abolish all these unnecessary and energy-wasting events! In addition to the pharaonic costs of building infrastructure that will then remain as "cathedrals in the desert" as well as of organization, almost all of the attendees will arrive there by plane (!) causing hundreds of thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This is a harmful environmental overload that could be avoided without causing harm to anyone except for the usual billionaire sports business.
But also enough is enough!
Per rispetto dell'ambiente (!) si dovrebbe abolire tutti quanti questi eventi inutili e spreconi di energia! Oltre ai faraonici costi di costruzione delle infrastrutture che poi resteranno come "cattedrali nel deserto" nonché di organizzazione, quasi tutti i frequentatori vi giungeranno in aereo (!) provocando centinaia di migliaia di tonnellate di emissioni di gas serra. È un sovraccarico ambientale dannoso che si potrebbe evitare senza causare danni a nessuno, eccetto per il solito business miliardario dello sport.
Ma anche basta!
Sports competitions are a fight between countries that develop hatred and hatred. This is clearly seen when people raise their country's flags, stressing their distinction (racism) towards the defeated country, even between provinces in the same country. Sports do not serve any of the humanitarian goals.
المنافسات الرياضية معاركة بين الدول تنمي الحقد والكراهية، وهذا ما نلمسه بوضوح حينما يرفع الناس أعلام بلادهم مؤكدين تميّزهم ( عنصريتهم ) تجاه البلد المندحر، هذا حتى بين المقاطعات في البلد الواحد. الرياضة لا تخدم أي هدف من الأهداف الانسانية.
How can we accept that countries like China, Russia or Qatar are selected for sports events? I am so ashamed. Of course, there are no exemplary countries, but some have more ethics and respect for human rights. All dictatorships should not be allowed to compete. Then there is also the climate of the country, it is a real absurdity to do sports in desert countries where all the stadiums are air-conditioned. Just like doing the winter Olympics in countries where it only snows 5 days a year! A little coherence and common sense seems to me the minimum. And if there were no financial "pressures" to say the least, it would be better. Transparency would be welcome.
Comment peut-on accepter que des pays comme la Chine, la Russie ou le Qatar soient retenus pour des manifestations sportives?? J'ai tellement honte. Évidemment, il n'y a pas de pays exemplaires, mais certains ont plus d'éthique et de respect vis-à-vis du droit humain. Toutes les dictatures ne devraient pas pouvoir concourir. Après il y a aussi le climat du pays, c'est une véritable absurdité que de faire du sport dans des pays désertiques où tout les stades sont climatisés. Tout comme faire les JO d'hiver dans des pays où il ne neige que 5 jours par an!! Un peu de cohérence et de bon sens me paraît le minimum. Et s'il n'y avait pas de "pressions" financières pour ne pas dire autre chose, ce serait mieux. De la transparence serait bienvenue.
Hi! The Swissinfo team and different people from around the world regarding the problem! Gives Tariff , The viability of the landscape ethics, respect for the concepts for a future event whether, Football at 40 degrees or minus -20 winter games these are the two climatic factors, there are many different nationalities government segments for my information, I do I have much knowledge with Qatar.
Salut! L'équipe de Swissinfo et les différentes personnes du monde entier concernant le problème ! Donne Tarif , La viabilité de l'éthique du paysage, le respect des concepts pour un événement futur que ce soit, Football à 40 degrés ou moins -20 jeux d'hiver ce sont les deux facteurs climatiques, il existe de nombreuses nationalités différentes segments gouvernementaux pour mon information, je ne J'ai beaucoup de connaissances avec le Qatar.
In my opinion, it is better for no one to be harmed during the FIFA World Cup and other games, even during the preparation period for these leagues. No exception. I support sports organizations in dealing flexibly with weather issues, from extending the start date of sports competitions to using machines that help make the atmosphere more suitable for the tournament, because weather is produced by nature and countries have no hand in arranging seasons, not even increasing or falling temperatures. It is possible for every individual or group to exercise their rights without harming others in the territory of the host country. Whoever does what is contrary to religious laws and does not harm others is responsible for his account with his creator, but can be told without coercion that what he does is wrong against the laws of the creator of the universe
في رأيي من الأفضل أن لا يتضرر أي احد اثناء منافسات كاس العالم لكرة القدم و مسابقات الالمبياد الاخرى و حتى خلال فترة التجهيز لتلك الأدوار دون استثاء. وأؤيد المنظمات الرياضية في التعامل بمرونة مع مسائل الطقس من تمديد تاريخ انطلاقة المنافسات الرياضية، إلى الاستعانة بالالات والتجهيزات التي تساعد في جعل الأجواء أكثر ملاءمة للبطولة، لأن الطقس تنتجه الطبيعة وليس للدول يد في ترتيب المواسم ولا حتى زيادة او انخفاض درجات الحرارة. و من الممكن ان يمارس كل فرد او جماعة حقوقهم دون الاضرار بالاخرين في اراضي الدولة المستضيفة، ومن يعمل ما يخالف الشرائع الدينية و لا يضر بالغير فحسابه مع خالقه و لكن يمكن إعلامه دون إكراه بأن ما يقوم به خطأ وضد شرائع خالق الكون.
First and foremost...keep politics OUT of this.
How can you, politics & opinion is everything..
Taking the football world cup in Qatar as an example: why is it even there? What corrupt organisation awarded it (and also Russia in 2018 after they invaded the Crimea..) , what corrupt government spent nearly $400 million (to GRA, a shady private firm) on ensuring it was not taken away from them in the meantime, the country is too small to host such an event even by FIFA's own rules, there is no respect for human rights in Qatar and they are even stopping journalists in Qatar from wearing "certain" coloured armbands, how many people died to build stadiums that have no function or use afterwards, how much CO2 has been produced that FIFA is denying exists (in the middle of a climate crisis) for all this construction and the flights there, etc etc etc. I could go on, but you get the idea, it's all ridiculous..
These are events that are part of our lives and pretending that one can (or should) keep politics out of sport is just doing what ostriches do.. (sticking one's head in the sand..).
This is no longer sport...this is big business at any cost.
This "business" consists of organisations such as FIFA, UEFA (and where Swiss courts find them not-guilty in clear cases of corruption) who choose to be in Switzerland to avoid any "Interference" from the EU and who the Swiss government allows to continue without any oversight or governance. Appalling.
Appalling indeed!!! Black eye for Switzerland.
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