October 9 – FIFA, rarely praised on integrity issues and often the butt of fierce government criticism, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Council of Europe with an initial focus on the protection of children from sexual exploitation, the fight against match-fixing and to “co-ordinate their efforts for the preparation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on the safety, security and services aspects of football matches.”
Signed at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg by Council of Europe Secretary General Thørbjorn Jagland (pictured right) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino the agreement is the culmination of meetings that began in January.
“This landmark agreement focuses on four main areas of co-operation: Human Rights, Integrity and Good Governance in sport; Safety and Security at Football Matches; Mutual dialogue and Co-operation in view of Major Sport Events; and Institutional Co-operation through regular exchanges of views, good practices and the development of joint initiatives and co-ordination of operational activities,” said a FIFA press release.
“Sport plays a pivotal role in connecting people, favouring inclusion and enhancing the social fabric by promoting Council of Europe key values. We advocate fair play and respect in sport to be safe, ethical and accessible to all, in order to contribute towards building inclusive and democratic societies respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” said Jagland.
Heralding a new era of co-operation between FIFA and the Council of Europe, Infantino said: “With this Memorandum of Understanding and a concrete action plan for 2019, our collaboration is institutionalised and has become more concrete and measurable. It is a natural relationship, as we share common values and goals: transparency, accountability, integrity, safety in sport and respect for human rights, for children’s rights. It is in the best interest of football for all relevant entities to work together and enhance the power of the beautiful game.”
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