FIFA urged to call out Trump's policies

[rangerrebew]

FIFA urged to call out Trump's policies
By Inside The Games  Friday, 4 July 2025
Groups express "deep concern" over human rights violations. GETTY IMAGES

US-based civil society groups wrote to football's governing body this week to express their 'deep concern' over the current political landscape in the country, which is set to co-host next year's World Cup, along with neighbouring Mexico and Canada, as well as the 2028 Olympic Games.

The letter, distributed by Human Rights organisation FairSquare, warns FIFA that it risks becoming a "public relations tool to whitewash the reputation of an increasingly authoritarian government," and calls on the federation to publicly urge the United States government to reverse immigration policies and practices introduced by the Trump administration.
 

"This is a hugely significant intervention from a broad swathe of US civil society, which leaves FIFA in no doubt as to their profound concerns not just about the deterioration of the rights climate in the US but the role that FIFA seems to be playing in that regard," said Nick McGeehan, co-director of FairSquare, in the organisation's press release on behalf of 90 civil society groups.

FairSquare, a research and advocacy organisation focused on accountability in sport and human rights, and the Dignity 2026 coalition coordinated the joint letter. The letter's signatories include the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the country's leading human rights organisations.

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1154077/fifa-urged-to-call-out-trumps-policies

[rangerrebew]

US-based civil society groups wrote to football's governing body this week 

Are these the same civil society groups that conducted "mostly peaceful protests" in LA?

Anyway -

This is exactly why I've stopped watching sports for the most part.  Back when the NFL had a 60 mile blackout radius for televised home games, my friends and I would drive 61 miles to watch the Lions on Monday night.  But it was pure sports.  Now they are just another form of CNN.

Now everything is political or social commentary, immigration news, news about Elon Musk or George Soros,  equity, etc.     It used to be sports was a means to escape all that political nonsense.  Now it has become part of the political nonsense.  I don't care what ex professionals think about ANYTHING, what political party they favor, how a sport befits the tutifuiti people in Zimbabwe.  I want to watch sports, not get editorialized.

[Smokin Joe]

Are these the same civil society groups that conducted "mostly peaceful protests" in LA?

Anyway -

This is exactly why I've stopped watching sports for the most part.  Back when the NFL had a 60 mile blackout radius for televised home games, my friends and I would drive 61 miles to watch the Lions on Monday night.  But it was pure sports.  Now they are just another form of CNN.

Now everything is political or social commentary, immigration news, news about Elon Musk or George Soros,  equity, etc.     It used to be sports was a means to escape all that political nonsense.  Now it has become part of the political nonsense.  I don't care what ex professionals think about ANYTHING, what political party they favor, how a sport befits the tutifuiti people in Zimbabwe.  I want to watch sports, not get editorialized.

About the only sports (that were not motorsports) I have watched in the past decade is watching my granddaughter play pro football with the WFA (Minnesota Vixens). Just ladies playing tackle football. She was the fastest in her High School, until my grandson transferred into the same school (funny having grandkids 1&2 fastest in a High School--you just root for them both!).
He is installing appliances, she is still fast on the field.