The US Soccer (United States Soccer Federation) has announced that it will air its complaints to FIFA about an alleged sponsorship deal by Saudi Arabia for Women’s World Cup. Last week, Australia and New Zealand, co-hosts of the tournament, wrote to FIFA seeking immediate clarification after ‘The Guardian’ reported that ‘Visit Saudi’ would be named the event’s title sponsor (July 20 -August 1). .
“US Soccer strongly supports human rights and equality for all and believes in the power of our sport to have a positive impact,” the USSF said in a statement to The Athletic. “While we cannot control how other organizations manage the selection of sponsorship for tournaments in which we compete, we can voice our concerns and will continue to support our players.” The United States is the highest ranked team in FIFA and has won the last two editions of the World Cup.
The Guardian’s report has sparked outrage in both host countries, with human rights activists and athletes saying the Saudi sponsorship is at odds with the tournament’s message of empowering women and girls.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has introduced reforms that allow women more control over their lives in recent years, but men still retain a tight grip on power.
The veteran American forward Alex Morgan, who won the World Cup with the USA in 2015 and 2019, called the possible sponsorship “strange”. “Morally, it doesn’t make sense,” Morgan told reporters Wednesday. “I just don’t get it… I really hope FIFA does the right thing.”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
