Burma’s bid jointly with Thailand to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2021 has been met with a chorus of criticism, reports Myanmar Mix, as activists and politicians raise human rights concerns in Rakhine state.
Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, was surprised by the decision to accept the bid, “even by FIFA’s low standards. You have to wonder if terrible human rights records are a FIFA requirement for hosting world cups,” he said. “If Myanmar and Thailand were to win the bid a big concern of Burma Campaign UK’s would be any military companies involved in sponsorship.”