Revealed: Myanmar junta 'crony' given key role behind Fifa peace prize

Fifa's New Peace Prize May Be A Sop To Trump, Critics Say

The timing of Gianni Infantino's announcement about Fifa launching its very own peace prize raised eyebrows among critics who fear it may be a sop to Donald Trump. The prize is scheduled to be awarded annually to individuals who help unite people in peace through unwavering commitment and special actions.

Infantino had already been accused of breaching Fifa's neutrality rules during an appearance next to his friend Trump at a Gaza peace summit. "I think we should all support what he's doing because I think it is looking pretty good," Infantino said, sparking criticism that he was undermining the integrity of the organisation.

A new social responsibility committee within Fifa has been tasked with devising the process for choosing winners, but its internal dynamics have raised concerns among critics. The chair of this committee is Zaw Zaw, a 59-year-old president of the Myanmar football federation who has been at odds with Western powers over his country's human rights record.

In 2009, US diplomatic cables described Zaw Zaw as "one of Burma's up-and-coming cronies" with interests in gems, cement, and bottling plants. The cables also revealed that he had hired the grandson of Myanmar's former dictator to play for one of his football teams, sparking allegations of corruption.

Critics argue that Fifa's peace prize is being used as a tool to curry favour with powerful leaders such as Trump and Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman, who will host the men's World Cup in 2034. "The only year Fifa makes money is in a men's World Cup year," said Nick McGeehan of FairSquare, a human rights advocacy group. "So every men's World Cup year, you need to squeeze as much money as possible out of your host."

McGeehan believes that Infantino's personal connection with Trump and his apparent willingness to overlook Fifa's neutrality rules demonstrate a lack of accountability within the organisation. "There's this incredible effort to sort of talk about transparency and accountability and all that," he said, "but not change the way it's actually done."

Stephen Cockburn, Amnesty International's head of labour rights and sport, echoed McGeehan's concerns, stating that while Fifa's rhetoric on human rights is admirable, its actions suggest a prioritisation of finance and power over people.

the whole thing about fifa launching their own peace prize just feels like a publicity stunt to me ...like they're trying to save face after all the drama with trump and infantino's comments about him ...and now zaw zaw at the helm of this new committee? really? he's got some serious baggage with corruption and human rights in myanmar, so how can anyone trust him to make unbiased decisions for this prize? it's like fifa is more interested in playing nice with powerful leaders than actually promoting real change or transparency...and let's not forget the fact that they're using the peace prize as a way to drum up revenue from those same powerful hosts, it's all just so shady

yeah, great move by fifa to launch their own peace prize... sounds like just what the world needs, another way for powerful leaders to stroke their egos . i mean, who wouldn't want to receive an award from a committee chaired by someone with alleged ties to corruption and human rights abuses? it's not like they have anything better to do than try to curry favor with trump or saudi arabia's royal family... meanwhile, people are still struggling to make ends meet on this planet .

ummm so like fifa is trying to be all noble with this new peace prize but i dont know how believable it sounds especially with infantino being friends with trump and zaw zaw being kinda shady i mean whats gonna stop them from just picking someone who is good buddies with saudi arabia or china? like what about actual human rights work? also can someone explain to me how fifa makes money again? are they all like selling jerseys and stuff?

The whole peace prize thing from FIFA feels like a bit of a PR stunt to me... I mean, Gianni Infantino trying to make amends with Trump after that Gaza summit controversy doesn't sit right . And now this new committee headed by Zaw Zaw, who's got some pretty sketchy connections... it just feels like FIFA's playing politics instead of actually promoting peace and unity.

And let's be real, the timing of this prize is super suspicious - just as Saudi Arabia is gearing up to host the 2034 World Cup . I'm not convinced it's about recognizing good work in promoting peace and unity... more like a way for FIFA to get on Trump's good side and rake in some cash . The whole thing feels like a cynical attempt to boost Fifa's image rather than actually doing something meaningful

the whole thing just feels shady to me, like fifa's trying to buy good vibes from powerful leaders rather than actually making a meaningful impact

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infantino's been accused of being too close to trump, but it's not just that - it's the fact that fifa's trying to use this peace prize as a way to get on good terms with saudi arabia and other powerful nations

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and then there's zaw zaw, the chair of the committee that's supposed to be making these tough decisions... his past is pretty checkered, if you ask me

anyway, i think fifa needs to do some serious soul-searching before they can start handing out this peace prize

i'm kinda skeptical about fifa's new peace prize ... sounds like a total PR stunt to me . they're trying to curry favor with trump and other powerful leaders, but it just comes across as weak sauce . i mean, if you want to make an impact on global peace, why not take some real risks instead of playing it safe? this whole thing feels like a way for infantino to wash his hands of any controversy, rather than actually making a difference . and let's be real, who do we trust to choose the winners - zaw zaw? the guy's got some serious skeletons in his closet...

I'm getting major vibes from this whole situation... It feels like Fifa's trying to polish their image just in time for the World Cup 2034 I mean, who doesn't love a good PR stunt, right? But seriously, have they even considered the potential impact of partnering with powerful leaders like Trump and Saudi Arabia's bin Salman? It's like they're trying to curry favor without actually making any meaningful changes within the organisation

And what's up with this new peace prize? Sounds like a total PR ploy to me I mean, we all know Fifa's not exactly known for its transparency and accountability It's just more of the same old politics as usual, if you ask me... And those involved in choosing the winners? Red flags all around Zaw Zaw seems like a suspicious character at best

I'm all for promoting peace and unity, but can't we do better than this? Shouldn't Fifa be holding themselves to higher standards? The timing of this announcement feels so convenient... Like they're trying to distract us from their own issues with corruption and human rights

I'm not buying it, folks! Fifa's got a long way to go before I trust them again

come on fifa, can't you just give the peace prize to someone who actually does some good without it being a blatant attempt to butter up trump or the saudis? zaw zaw's got some major baggage and infantino's buddy trip with him at that gazan peace summit is just red flag after red flag...and what's with this new committee trying to 'diversify' the winners? doesn't sound like a very transparent process to me. just give me some genuine winners of peaceful actions, not just whoever has deep pockets or connections to powerful people

I'm so sick of this whole thing . A peace prize to try and win over Trump? Give me a break . It's just another way for Infantino to curry favour with the powerful, while ignoring the real issues . I mean, what's next? A Nobel Prize in Peace just because you're buddies with a certain world leader ? Please .

And let's not forget about Zaw Zaw, the head of the committee overseeing this whole operation . What a joke . A man with a human rights record that's been thoroughly scrutinised by Western powers and now he's in charge of a prize meant to promote peace? Give me a laugh .

This whole thing reeks of hypocrisy . Fifa wants to be seen as all about human rights, but when it comes down to it, they're just looking for ways to make more money . Mark my words, this peace prize is just another way for them to line their pockets while pretending to care about the world .

I think it's awesome that Fifa is launching its own peace prize . I mean, who wouldn't want to give out awards to people who are all about spreading love and unity? It's not like we're oversimplifying the issues or anything . And yeah, maybe Gianni Infantino knows a thing or two about neutrality, especially since he was basically buddies with Trump at that Gaza peace summit . I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Trump might be using it as an opportunity to get more attention and influence . And who cares if Zaw Zaw is a bit of a controversial figure? He's not like he's got a personal stake in winning the prize or anything . It's all about supporting those who are doing great work, right?

I think it's kinda weird that Fifa is launching its own peace prize when some of the people involved in choosing the winners are still questionable. Like, Zaw Zaw being part of the committee and having a history with corruption doesn't exactly fill me with confidence . And what's up with Infantino being buddies with Trump? It feels like Fifa is trying to make friends with powerful people instead of actually doing some meaningful work for peace . I get that they want to bring in more revenue, but can't we focus on making a real difference?

I'm getting a bit miffed about this new peace prize from Fifa . It seems like they're trying to sweet-talk powerful leaders into being all buddy-buddy with them, but I'm not buying it . If the intention was to genuinely promote peace and unity, why create a committee that's basically headed by someone who's been accused of corruption? I mean, Zaw Zaw is a total shady character . His ties to Myanmar's human rights issues and his own dodgy business dealings just don't sit right with me.

And let's not forget about Infantino's history with Trump - it's pretty clear that they've got a cozy relationship going on . So, now they're trying to curry favor with him by launching this peace prize? It smells like a cynical ploy to get Fifa more money from wealthy nations like Saudi Arabia . I'd love to see some actual transparency and accountability behind this whole initiative - but until then, it's hard to take it seriously .

It's also worth noting that Fifa's made a fortune off the men's World Cup in the past, so it's pretty convenient that they're suddenly launching a peace prize that only gets attention during those tournaments . I'd love to see some real commitment to promoting human rights and peace beyond just the World Cup - but until then, this whole thing feels like a publicity stunt .

this whole thing smells fishy to me... infantino announces peace prize right after being roasted by critics for his friendship with trump what's the real motive here? is it just a nice gesture or is fifa trying to butter up powerful leaders like trumps and saudi's mbz?

and have you seen the chair of this new social responsibility committee, zaw zaw? that guy has some major skeletons in his closet... corruption allegations and ties to the myanmar military i mean, what makes him qualified to decide who gets a peace prize? it's just another example of fifa being more concerned with finance than people.

I don't know man, I think this peace prize thingy might be a bit dodgy . It sounds like it could just be a way for FIFA to get on good terms with powerful leaders like Trump and Saudi Arabia's MBS, you know? Like, if they can just get on their good side, then they'll get the World Cup hosting rights and all that cash .

And I'm not even gonna go down the rabbit hole about Zaw Zaw being a cronie of Myanmar's dictator... that's just too much . But seriously, if FIFA is trying to be all transparent and accountable, then why do we need this new committee to choose winners? Can't they just have an independent panel or something?

It's like, don't get me wrong, I'm all for promoting peace and unity... but let's not pretend that FIFA's got everything figured out . They've made some pretty questionable moves in the past, and I worry that this peace prize might just be another way to sweep those issues under the rug .

I hope someone can reassure me that this is all just a big misunderstanding .

just don't get me right about fifa doing this peace prize thing... seems like they're trying to make themselves sound all high and mighty meanwhile, infantino's still got ties with trump and zaw zaw's got some shady history going on in myanmar... what's the real motive here? is it just a way for fifa to get cozy with powerful leaders and rake in the cash from those world cups? seems like they're more worried about making money than actually promoting peace... https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-peace-prize-critics-say-it-is-a-sop-to-trump

omg I'm like totally freaking out about this fifa's new peace prize thingy... I mean I love Gianni Infantino and all but I don't think he should have announced it right now considering the whole trump thing I know he said some kinda thing next to trump at that summit but still what if this peace prize is like a total bribe or something? my heart hurts for human rights and all those ppl who are being oppressed zaw zaw just seems so sketchy tho has fifa really got their act together right now?

man this whole thing just feels like a total setup the peace prize sounds like a great idea but only if fifa isn't trying to use it to butter up powerful leaders and ignore their actual track record on human rights i mean come on if zaw zaw, the chair of fifa's new peace committee, has ties to corrupt business deals and his own country's questionable human rights record then how can we trust that the prize is being awarded sincerely?

This new peace prize from Fifa sounds like just a fancy way to get on good terms with rich & powerful folks like Trump . I mean, who needs transparency when you can just hand out an award to the guy who's got deep pockets? Infantino's friendship with Trump is already causing major drama, and now this prize could just be a way for Fifa to appease him .

And what about Zaw Zaw, chair of the peace prize committee? His history of corruption & human rights issues raises huge red flags . It's not like he's exactly known for his integrity . The whole thing feels like a PR stunt to get good press and make Fifa look more appealing .

Fifa's main income comes from men's World Cup, so of course they'd want to curry favor with hosts who can bring in the cash . But at what cost? The integrity of the organization takes a hit when you're more focused on lining your pockets than promoting real change

I'm thinking about this peace prize and how it might be perceived by some as a way to appease powerful leaders like Trump... What does it say about us that we need an external validation to prove our commitment to peace? Is it possible that we're so focused on maintaining relationships with those in power that we compromise our own values? And what's the true cost of this prize? Is it really just a matter of dollars and cents, or is there something more at play?