MELBOURNE, April 28 (Reuters) – Australian midfielder Jackson Irvine says football’s credibility as a positive force has been undermined by the game’s global governing body, which accuses FIFA of ridiculing its human rights policy.
In an interview with Reuters, Irvine took aim at FIFA’s decision to award the first peace prize to US President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December for “promoting peace and unity around the world”.
The US, which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico, launched a military attack on Venezuela a month after the draw and began joint airstrikes on Iran on February 28.
“As an organization you would have to say that decisions like the one we saw in awarding this peace prize are a mockery of what they are trying to do with the human rights charter and trying to use football as a global driving force for good and positive change in the world,” Irvine told Reuters.
Emilee Chinn – FIFA via Getty Images
“Such decisions feel like they only bring us back into the perceived marketplace of what football currently is, especially at the highest level, where it becomes so disconnected from society and the very foundation of what the game actually is and means in our communities and in the world.”
FIFA and the White House made no immediate comment.
Human rights groups and activists have widely condemned the awarding of the Peace Prize to Trump. The Norwegian Football Federation called on FIFA on Monday to abolish it to prevent it from being involved in politics.
FIFA published its first human rights policy in 2017.
The 2026 World Cup human rights framework includes provisions for host cities to promote inclusivity, protect freedom of expression and prohibit discrimination during the tournament from June 11 to July 19.
However, rights groups have said FIFA must do more to pressure the US to address the risks of human rights abuses for athletes, fans and workers, pointing to the crackdown on immigration and deportation being pursued by the Trump administration.
Irvine, who has 80 caps for Australia and captained the team, plays in the German Bundesliga for St. Pauli, a club known for its progressive culture.
photo alliance via Getty Images
The 33-year-old has long been vocal on human rights issues and was a driving force in the Australian team’s statement of protest against Qatar’s human rights record ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
Irvine and 15 other Australian players expressed concerns in a video about the conditions of migrant workers in Qatar and called for the decriminalization of same-sex relationships in the Gulf state.
Four years later, Irvine has similar concerns about human rights in the United States and the treatment of LGBT groups and other communities.
“It’s not just a problem in the Middle East, in America we’re seeing more and more of the rights of these communities… being taken away all over the country,” he said. “We must sincerely hope that we will see a lot of open support on that front as well.”
Players have used World Cups as a platform to promote various causes, including anti-racism and gender equality, but FIFA bans political, religious and personal slogans and images on team equipment.
FIFA banned the captains of seven European teams from wearing rainbow armbands on the pitch during the 2022 tournament, in protest against Qatar’s laws against same-sex relationships.
Players at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand were given a choice of eight FIFA-approved armbands to promote social causes such as gender equality, inclusion and anti-violence.
FIFA has not confirmed whether players will receive sanctioned armbands for the upcoming World Cup and did not immediately comment on questions from Reuters.
Irvine said he hoped bracelets and other advocacy symbols would be welcome at the tournament, and that players would be given space to express themselves.
However, he said he would also understand if athletes were wary of the potential backlash if they took a stand.
“You have a group that is incredibly supportive and really enjoys seeing people in these positions speaking about issues that they care about,” he said.
“And on the other side, the opposite, polarization has continued.
“People really hate players who try to bring politics into the sport.”
