Date: 2024
Type: Article
Between rhetoric and reality : effects of FIFA’s Human Rights Policy on its organisational structures and procedures
International journal of sport policy and politics, 2024, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 499-517
MERCADO JAEN, Pedro Jose, BISTARAKI, Angeliki, SCHUBERT, Mathias, Between rhetoric and reality : effects of FIFA’s Human Rights Policy on its organisational structures and procedures, International journal of sport policy and politics, 2024, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 499-517
- https://hdl.handle.net/1814/77196
Retrieved from Cadmus, EUI Research Repository
In a ground-breaking development, The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) responded to the global call for human rights protection within the sports world by adopting a Human Rights Policy. This policy represents a significant paradigm shift, redefining how sports organisations approach and advocate for equality, respect, and accountability in human rights. This article uses a single and explanatory qualitative case study approach to examine the effects of FIFA’s Human Rights Policy on the organisation. Data for this research were obtained through a documentary analysis of reports from FIFA’s Human Rights Advisory Board as well as eight semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. The study sheds light on transformative changes across the administration of the organisation, its governance structures and decision-making procedures. By building on organisational change models, the study reveals a dual impact of FIFA’s Human Rights Policy. On the one hand, positive outcomes were identified, including significant organisational and administrative changes, increased resources, improvements in the FIFA World Cup bidding process and enhanced stakeholder engagement. On the other, challenges persist in fully integrating human rights throughout the organisation, particularly in leadership, governance structures, political decision-making, and remedy mechanisms.
Additional information:
Published online: 11 July 2024
Cadmus permanent link: https://hdl.handle.net/1814/77196
Full-text via DOI: 10.1080/19406940.2024.2377536
ISSN: 1940-6940; 1940-6959
Publisher: Routledge
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