FIFA's Peace Prize Awarded to Crony of Myanmar Junta
The announcement by FIFA President Gianni Infantino about launching his own peace prize has raised concerns among those who believe it may be a gesture of favor towards Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman.
The lack of transparency in the process for selecting this year's winner has led to suspicion that Infantino is trying to curry favor with certain leaders in order to secure financial support. FIFA only makes money during World Cup years, so it stands to reason that Infantino would try to get close to powerful and wealthy individuals in order to secure sponsorship deals.
FIFA has been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability, particularly when it comes to its decision-making process. Critics argue that the organization's priorities are often skewed towards financial gain rather than human rights considerations. Zaw Zaw, a 59-year-old football federation president from Myanmar who has been the subject of EU and US economic sanctions, is chairing a new committee tasked with devising the process for selecting the peace prize winner.
The background of this committee head raises concerns that Infantino may be giving in to his own personal biases rather than seeking out genuinely deserving candidates for the award. Critics also point out that FIFA's code of ethics has not been updated since 2019, and even then, there were no significant changes made.
The announcement by FIFA President Gianni Infantino about launching his own peace prize has raised concerns among those who believe it may be a gesture of favor towards Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman.
The lack of transparency in the process for selecting this year's winner has led to suspicion that Infantino is trying to curry favor with certain leaders in order to secure financial support. FIFA only makes money during World Cup years, so it stands to reason that Infantino would try to get close to powerful and wealthy individuals in order to secure sponsorship deals.
FIFA has been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability, particularly when it comes to its decision-making process. Critics argue that the organization's priorities are often skewed towards financial gain rather than human rights considerations. Zaw Zaw, a 59-year-old football federation president from Myanmar who has been the subject of EU and US economic sanctions, is chairing a new committee tasked with devising the process for selecting the peace prize winner.
The background of this committee head raises concerns that Infantino may be giving in to his own personal biases rather than seeking out genuinely deserving candidates for the award. Critics also point out that FIFA's code of ethics has not been updated since 2019, and even then, there were no significant changes made.