GENEVA (AP) 鈥� Europe鈥檚 top human rights body questioned the integrity of the and urged FIFA on Sunday to help build a stronger framework for the 2030 edition being played mostly in Spain and Portugal.
鈥淭he next crisis has already begun. It has two names: money and power,鈥� the head of the 46-nation Council of Europe wrote Sunday in an hours before the final between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Swiss politician Alain Berset cited FIFA suspending a while and the risk of fraud in the soccer body signing a prediction market as a World Cup sponsor.
鈥淲hen the rules bend under pressure, every result is open to doubt,鈥� Berset wrote about Balogun being freed from a mandatory one-game ban with a quarterfinals place at stake. Belgium won 4-1.
鈥淧olitical influence has also moved onto the field,鈥� said Berset, who was twice a president of FIFA鈥檚 home country Switzerland. 鈥淭he sanction suspended mid-tournament came after a head of state called the president of FIFA.鈥�
FIFA signed a prediction market sponsor deal in April worth a reported $150 million with ADI Predictstreet, one week after the Abu Dhabi-backed company was formally created. FIFA also has with the gambling industry for this World Cup.
has been criticized as rewarding insider trading, and Berset noted that in soccer it allowed wagers to be won on 鈥渕oments a single player can produce without changing the score.鈥�
鈥淚t is an open door to fraud,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淎nd this World Cup has opened the door wider.鈥�
The Council of Europe (CoE) aired its concerns publicly despite having a with FIFA signed by its president Gianni Infantino in 2018.
The inter-governmental body, which created the European Convention on Human Rights, has a stated mission: 鈥淭o promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law across Europe and beyond.鈥�
When signing the FIFA-CoE memorandum of understanding eight years ago, Infantino said: 鈥淚t is a natural relationship, as we share common values and goals: transparency, accountability, integrity, safety in sport and respect for human rights, for children鈥檚 rights.鈥�
Infantino and Berset on the sidelines of the United Nations general assembly in New York.
FIFA鈥檚 disciplinary ruling on Balogun was fiercely criticized by European soccer body UEFA, which said the decision 鈥渃rossed a red line鈥� in soccer鈥檚 rule of law and transparency. FIFA has yet to publish documents explaining the reasoning of its disciplinary judge from the United Arab Emirates.
鈥淎 sanction suspended under pressure, within days, with no reasons given,鈥� Berset wrote, before adding other concerns about the first 48-team, 104-game World Cup.
鈥淭he authority of referees called into question. , some of it from elected officials. Betting on every pass, every card, every corner.鈥�
The next men鈥檚 World Cup will be staged mostly in Europe, with Morocco also co-hosting. Three South American neighbors, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, are currently scheduled to host one game each at the start of the centenary edition in June 2030 to mark the original 1930 World Cup host Uruguay.
鈥淪o here is my proposal to FIFA,鈥� Berset wrote. 鈥淎 working dialogue that starts tonight, to build the integrity framework of the 2030 World Cup before it is played.鈥�
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