02.05.2017

UEFA forces countries bidding to host future Euros to meet human rights criteria

The two potential bidders to host UEFA EURO 2024, Germany and Turkey, received information from UEFA on how the bid will be conducted last week, which for the first time includes specific criteria relating to the respect for human rights.

The new criteria follow widespread concerns over the way in which hosting countries for mega events have not met concerns over issues such as the rights of migrant workers, the forcible removal of local residents, the treatment of minority communities and procurement practices.

The new bidding criteria are based on the United Nations’ “Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights” and other UN conventions and were developed in close cooperation with Sport and Rights Alliance. Criteria regarding compliance and anticorruption measures have also been included as requirements.

Representatives of the German Football Association (DFB) and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) attended a bid opening workshop last Thursday in Nyon, they have until April 2018 to complete and submit their bid dossiers to UEFA. The UEFA Executive Committee then decides on who has won the right to host UEFA EURO 2024 in September 2018.

Commenting on the development, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, said: “The protection of human rights and labour rights is of the utmost importance for UEFA. It was imperative for us to introduce specific articles on the respect and protection of human rights in the bidding requirements for all of our competitions. From now on, bidding nations will have to adhere strictly to these articles in the framework of the organisation of all our tournaments and finals.

The full bid requirements for UEFA EURO 2024 can be accessed here and the UEFA EURO 2024 Bid Dossier Template can be accessed here.

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