•
Restrictions on the freedom of
expression of athletes with respect to
sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression, and sex characteristics,
including through the display of the
rainbow flag or other relevant signs and
symbols at stadiums, Fanfests and related
tournament sites.
•
The risk of conflict between athletes or
spectator groups seeking to voice beliefs
that represent negative or harmful views
concerning LGBTQI+ people.
•
In 2019, Sport New Zealand released a report on
building cultural inclusion in active recreation and
sport, specifically among Muslim girls and women.60
The report confirmed that ‘spaces and activities
that consider or accommodate Muslim women and
girls also create a safe and engaging space for a
much more diverse range of people’. Increasing the
visibility of Muslim and other faith-based and ethnic
minority players can help support young sports
people to see opportunities for their own future.
Stakeholders also highlighted the risks of a lack of
cultural safety and intersectional racism against
visible minorities, such as Muslim women and girls
and young men of colour that may arise in stadia or
Fanfest environments.
A lack of all-gender bathrooms for
accessibility. In Aotearoa New Zealand,
some player facilities (which were
originally designed for men’s teams) are in
the process of being retrofitted to provide
gender-neutral facilities.
(ii) LGBTQI+ communities – risks of discrimination and
exclusion
Stakeholders noted the following issues as key risks
to be addressed by FIFA:
(e) Risks for spectators and the broader
community
(i) Ethnic and faith-based minorities – risk of
discrimination and exclusion
Spectator racism is an unfortunate feature of the
Australian, Aotearoa New Zealand and international
sporting landscape, affecting both players and
spectators as well as the broader community. It is
unclear to what extent this issue will present itself
during the FWWC2023. Past experience shows that
the women’s games tend to be more family-friendly,
which may result in reduced spectator racism.
Given the prominence of this human rights issue
across Australasian sports, however, it remains an
important issue for FIFA and the local operating
entities to address comprehensively.58
In 2020, the AHRC was commissioned to undertake
an independent review of racial equality in the
sport of basketball and reported on this in the
Racial Equality Review of Basketball Australia.59
Areas under investigation included exploration of
the current structural barriers to achieving racial
equality within Basketball Australia, as well as
examination of the experiences of players, their
families, coaches and staff. In this engagement, the
AHRC heard about experiences of everyday racism
and recommended actions to support a more
inclusive culture in the sport.
•
The risk of transgender players facing
discrimination under FIFA rules and being
unable to participate in the tournament as
set out in section 3.2(d) of this report.
•
Restrictions on the freedom of
expression of spectators with respect
to sexual orientation, gender identity
and expression, and sex characteristics,
including through the display of the
rainbow flag or other relevant signs and
symbols at stadiums, Fanfests and related
tournament sites.
•
The risk of conflict between spectator
groups or athletes seeking to voice beliefs
that represent negative or harmful views
concerning LGBTQI+ people.
•
A lack of all-gender bathrooms for
accessibility. Stakeholders identified allgender facilities for stadium audiences as
a need.
FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup Human Rights Risk Assessment • 27