FIFPRO continues underlining its support to athletes who wish to stand up for human rights, promote social justice and positive societal change at the Olympics, whether that may be on the pitch, during a ceremony, or wherever they may choose to do so.

FIFPRO is deeply concerned about the treatment of athletes in Belarus who are being targeted by authorities in a serious breach of human rights.

Francis Awaritefe is the chair of Professional Footballers Australia and a FIFPRO Board Member. On the occasion of International Labour Day, the former Socceroo turned lawyer shares his opinion on the rights of professional footballers.

FIFPRO is alarmed that the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is failing to provide independent and efficient arbitration for professional footballers in Kenya, thereby breaching their right to a fair hearing under article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This Sunday the FIFA World Cup kicks off in Qatar and, while it will be a career peak for many players, it takes place under concerning circumstances.

On 14 December 2017 the worlds leading player associations unveiled the Universal Declaration of Player Rights (the Declaration) to protect sportsmen and women from ongoing and systemic human rights violations in global sport. FIFPRO was proud to be a part of this essential leap forward for professional sports people everywhere.

FIFPRO was among football stakeholders heard by the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) last week.

With the World Cup approaching the climax of its group stages, the Council of Europe’s EPAS Forum on Sport and Human Rights took place in Strasbourg, France – focusing on issues pertaining to freedom of expression, as laid down in the European Convention on Human Rights.

Today, FIFPRO pays tribute to professional footballers who have overcome adversity to achieve civil liberties and human rights, changing the lives of fellow players and inspiring future generations.

These standards mark an important starting point to further collectively-agreed solutions between player unions and football stakeholders in domestic playing markets and define the interests and legal rights of players regarding their personal data.

Football players from all backgrounds are concerned about human rights in Qatar ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and want to know how they can play an active role in bringing about lasting change in the host country.