Sumar has registered in Congress a non-legislative proposal for the Chamber to express whether Spain should reconsider its participation in the organization of the 2030 World Cup alongside Morocco, following the recent migratory crisis in Ceuta. The initiative suggests that the Government study this option with FIFA, the Spanish Football Federation, and the Government of Portugal, the third country listed as a co-organizer of the tournament.
The proposal, presented by the minority group of the Government and signed, among others, by the deputy of Izquierda Unida Nahuel González, takes up the idea that he already launched on X to rethink the alliance with Morocco for this championship. In the registered text, Sumar emphasizes that "Football cannot be used to whitewash everything" and warns that, if FIFA were to refuse to review the current model, the Executive should consider alternatives and "act in a manner consistent with the democratic principles and human rights" that guide Spanish foreign policy.
In the initiative, reported by Europa Press, the group defends the convenience of "conducting a specific review and evaluation of the current joint organization model of the FIFA World Cup 2030, in light of the serious events that occurred at the Ceuta border," as well as the "background indicated by the European Parliament and the human rights commitments assumed by the host countries." It recalls, in this regard, that in its Resolution of June 10, 2021, on the migratory crisis in Ceuta, the European Parliament expressly condemned "the use by Morocco of border control and migration, particularly of unaccompanied minors, as a mechanism of political pressure against Spain."
Sumar also requests that the Government convey to Congress the conclusions of that review and that, "with full autonomy rights," the Spanish Football Federation be urged to activate the institutional channels provided by FIFA to verify compliance with Article 3 of its Statutes, which "expressly commits the organization to respect internationally recognized human rights."
Greater control and guarantees of human rights
The plurinational group demands, furthermore, that the federation promotes an "independent, public, and updated assessment of risks to human rights" in the host countries, and that mechanisms for continuous monitoring of those commitments are established throughout the preparation for the World Cup. Sumar wants to involve Congress in this entire process and proposes that the Executive submit within a maximum period of six months "a report on the guarantees assumed, the public funds committed, the existing contractual instruments, the alternatives to the current model of co-organization, and the consequences of each scenario."
The party also demands that the Government appear before the Commission on Education, Vocational Training, and Sports to detail its actions in this area, including the assessment of the "impact of the events that occurred at the Ceuta border on the human rights commitments linked to the tournament" and the definition of possible additional measures "if serious breaches of the international commitments and human rights assumed by any of the host countries were proven."
Another of the requests included is that the Executive promotes before FIFA a modification of the procedures for awarding and supervising major competitions, in order to introduce "permanent, independent, and enforceable human rights clauses," including the option to withdraw the venue when serious violations occur.
Finally, the minority partner of the Government, which has already called on the UN to investigate Morocco's actions in the latest migration crisis in Ceuta, takes advantage of this initiative to request that "in the bilateral, European, and international spheres," the "independent clarification" of what happened, the identification of deceased and missing persons, the clarification of possible responsibilities, and the implementation of effective mechanisms for early warning, protection of minors, and saving lives be promoted.