What has been going on in Brazil?
Other than a thrilling World Cup, this summer in Brazil there have been countless stories of football fans buying hard drugs from the children in Brazil's favelas and media reports about children being used as prostitutes for fans who wish to have sex with underage children. On the face of it this should be an issue for the government of Brazil but with the world cup FIFA have become entagled in this human rigts mess because it was the FIFA board who voted to hold the World Cup in Brazil despite the human rights concerns.
Other than a thrilling World Cup, this summer in Brazil there have been countless stories of football fans buying hard drugs from the children in Brazil's favelas and media reports about children being used as prostitutes for fans who wish to have sex with underage children. On the face of it this should be an issue for the government of Brazil but with the world cup FIFA have become entagled in this human rigts mess because it was the FIFA board who voted to hold the World Cup in Brazil despite the human rights concerns.
Exanples of the stories in Brazil include :
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/world-cup-child-prostitution_n_5474716.html#- The Huffington post on children selling sex for a packet of cigarettes
http://www.americanbar.org/publications/international_law_news/2013/fall/soccer_samba_and_sex_preventing_human_trafficking_attending_brazils_world_cup_and_olympics.html- The American Bar Association legal news article on preventing human trafficking at the Brazilian World Cup and Olympics
http://www.mnnonline.org/news/2014-world-cup-cause-human-trafficking-spike/- Katy Hearth's article on why the World Cup could cause a spike in Human Trafficking levels
What happens to the fans who are caught engaging in these illegal acts?
There is a prominent legal issue here in that those fans who engage in illegal activities in Brazil are not arrested and tried in Brazil but are deported back to their country of origin. This is a major problem for the Brazilian victims because it means that Brazilian law is not clamping down on sex and drug trafficking because it is the countries where the fans are from that are punishing their citizen's for committing the crimes of drug use or rape (rape because despite the fact the prostitutes are consenting to the sexual acts they are not of an age to consent to having any kind of sexual contact)
There is a prominent legal issue here in that those fans who engage in illegal activities in Brazil are not arrested and tried in Brazil but are deported back to their country of origin. This is a major problem for the Brazilian victims because it means that Brazilian law is not clamping down on sex and drug trafficking because it is the countries where the fans are from that are punishing their citizen's for committing the crimes of drug use or rape (rape because despite the fact the prostitutes are consenting to the sexual acts they are not of an age to consent to having any kind of sexual contact)
Should FIFA take any responsibility?
Although this is not just a Brazilian problem the drugs and sex gangs in the World Cup reports are Brazilian and so primarily it is for Brazil to combat their own legal issues. However, given that FIFA knew of the situation before the World Cup they shoud take some responsibility for thedevastating results that being involved in the sex and drugs trade has on the children and adults involved. FIFA have been adversely affected by statistics that show that had Brazil not been given the World Cup then the money they have spent on the tournament could have paid for Brazil's welfare bill twice over or more. This would mean that many of those involved in human trafficking and the drugs trade would not need to be involved as they would no longer be living in povery stricken flavelas and could instead live in safer and more protected accomodation. Again it should be stressed that FIFA are not responisible for their crimes but there is an outcry for FIFA to acknowlege that football in general should not be treating such Human Rights issues as an unfortuantely inevitability for making football a global game.
Although this is not just a Brazilian problem the drugs and sex gangs in the World Cup reports are Brazilian and so primarily it is for Brazil to combat their own legal issues. However, given that FIFA knew of the situation before the World Cup they shoud take some responsibility for thedevastating results that being involved in the sex and drugs trade has on the children and adults involved. FIFA have been adversely affected by statistics that show that had Brazil not been given the World Cup then the money they have spent on the tournament could have paid for Brazil's welfare bill twice over or more. This would mean that many of those involved in human trafficking and the drugs trade would not need to be involved as they would no longer be living in povery stricken flavelas and could instead live in safer and more protected accomodation. Again it should be stressed that FIFA are not responisible for their crimes but there is an outcry for FIFA to acknowlege that football in general should not be treating such Human Rights issues as an unfortuantely inevitability for making football a global game.
What should FIFA be doing?
In reality, there is not a great deal that FIFA can do. My argument is that they should be creating stricter criteria that host nations have to meet in order to host a World Cup including adequate Human Rights protection for both natives and fans and good control of local sex and drug related crime. No one is expecting Brazil to have no drugs or sex crime but what should be expected is an effective legal and policing system that means that the World Cup will not increase exploitation of children or adults.
In reality, there is not a great deal that FIFA can do. My argument is that they should be creating stricter criteria that host nations have to meet in order to host a World Cup including adequate Human Rights protection for both natives and fans and good control of local sex and drug related crime. No one is expecting Brazil to have no drugs or sex crime but what should be expected is an effective legal and policing system that means that the World Cup will not increase exploitation of children or adults.
The media's role in the situation
There is evidence to suggest that the figures based on trafficking before and after the world cup are inaccurate. Similar scares started before both the German World Cup of 2006 and the South African World Cup 2010. In her article for AlJazeera (link below) Sonja Dolinsek explains that in Germany it was shown by the Federal criminal Office that only 5 incidents of trafficking were related to the World Cup
There is evidence to suggest that the figures based on trafficking before and after the world cup are inaccurate. Similar scares started before both the German World Cup of 2006 and the South African World Cup 2010. In her article for AlJazeera (link below) Sonja Dolinsek explains that in Germany it was shown by the Federal criminal Office that only 5 incidents of trafficking were related to the World Cup
For Sonja's article follow: http://m.aljazeera.com/story/201465123438956286
In reality this shows us that although FIFA should be careful to investigate World Cup hosts they cannot be held responsible for the trafficking situation in Brazil. The media may misrepresent the cases of trafficking related crime during the World Cup in order to create animosity towards FIFA and create some accountability for a failing Brazilian criminal law system. That is not wise, when it comes down to it, it is Brazil's responsibility. As nationals of other states we should be concerned with ensuring our citizens are not buying drugs are having illegal sex in Brazil.
Conclusion
All in all we should remember the World Cup is about bringing the beautiful game yo the masses and encouraging harmony through global appreciation of one sport. The media should learn from the mistakes of the past and hopefully during this world cup will distinguish between football based issues and legal issues that should rightfully be left to the Brazilian government.
