American soccer player Becky Sauerbrunn and Dutch player Vivianne Miedema are among the 100 soccer players who have signed an open protest letter against the FIFA sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabian state oil giant Aramco.
FIFA and Aramco Deal, signed on Thursday, includes sponsorship at the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, to which many football stars, including Becky Sauerbrunn, protest, saying, “Much worse than an own goal.“
Moreover, even though the deal claims to support women and LGBTQ+ people, Saudi Arabia has very poor records when it comes to women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, which makes it difficult for people to believe in their deals.
“The safety of those women, the rights of women, LGBTQ+ rights & health of planet need to take a much bigger priority over #FIFA making more money." @beckysauerbrunn
— Sport & Rights Alliance (@Sport_Rights) October 21, 2024
100+ players call on @FIFAcom to replace Aramco & give players voice on future deals.✊https://t.co/1Ed3llzUgZ
In the protest, Becky Sauerbrunn is speaking for women who are imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. She wants to give players a voice on the ethical implications of future sponsorship deals.
In a comment in the campaign group Athletes Of The World, Sauerbrunn said,
“The safety of those women, the rights of women, LGBTQ+ rights, and the health of the planet need to take a much bigger priority over FIFA making more money.”
Becky Sauerbrunn’s Protest Demands Equal Human Rights and a Safe Future for the Planet!
Aramco, a Petroleum refinery company, owns more than 50 percent of petroleum and natural gas companies. Aramco is Saudi Arabia’s national oil company, and in 2024, it became the fourth-largest company in the world by revenue.
As the company produces a lot of oil and gas, it greatly affects nature and contributes to climate change.
⚽️ Over 100 women's soccer players, led by Becky Sauerbrunn and Vivianne Miedema, are taking on FIFA over its Aramco sponsorship! 💥
— Guillermo Farrell (@guille_farrell) October 21, 2024
In an open letter, they called it a “goalie fail” for aligning with a company linked to human rights violations and environmental harm. It’s like… pic.twitter.com/xb7zee3Pau
Therefore, Becky Sauerbrunn and Vivianne Miedema’s FIFA Aramco Deal protest is not only for women’s and LGBTQ rights but also for the planet’s and nature’s safety.
Similarly, in the letter calling on FIFA to replace Aramco, they demand:
“Alternative sponsors whose values align with gender equality, human rights and the safe future of our planet.“
Through the letter, the protester confirmed sponsorship contradicts FIFA’s commitments to human rights and the planet.
Further, Aramco’s deal with FiFa was made as part of Saudi Arabia’s ever-closer ties with the world soccer governing body.
According to their deal, Saudi Arabia will likely host the 2034 men’s World Cup in December. As of now, it is the only candidate for the tournament.
Ex-U.S. Captain Becky Sauerbrunn, Canadian Star Jessie Fleming Join 100 Female Soccer Players Calling For FIFA To Drop Saudi Aramco Deal https://t.co/1Nbbcis9ZS
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) October 21, 2024
After the deal, World Soccer’s governing board released a statement on Monday saying:
“FIFA values its partnership with Aramco and its many other commercial and rights partners. FIFA is an inclusive organization with many commercial partners that support other organizations in football and other sports.”
In Case You Don’t Know
- At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, they made $7.5 billion in revenue from broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing video games, and ticket and hospitality package sales.
- According to the Petroleum refinery company Aramco’s recent financial reports, it has USD 455.10 billion in net assets and made a $121 billion profit last year.
- Further, as per the recent deal, Saudi Arabia’s sponsorship will help fuel income for FIFA’s 2023-26 commercial cycle, which is at a budget of around $11 billion.
