Fifa's new peace prize has sparked concerns over its timing and winner. The award was announced by Gianni Infantino, the president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa), without much explanation, sparking suspicions that it could be a ploy to curry favor with powerful leaders.
The lack of information on how the inaugural winner will be chosen has fueled misgivings about the move. The Fifa peace prize is seen as Infantino's attempt to emulate his predecessor, Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020. However, unlike Čeferin, Infantino has faced criticism for his close ties with powerful leaders.
The chair of the new "social responsibility" committee tasked with devising the process for choosing winners is Zaw Zaw, a 59-year-old Myanmar football federation president who has been at the center of controversy over his alleged connections to the Myanmar military junta. He has been subject to economic sanctions in the US and EU.
FairSquare, a human rights advocacy group, has raised concerns about Fifa's internal dynamics. The organization believes that Infantino's personal announcement of the peace prize without involving the main decision-making body is typical of his style.
Fifa's power dynamics are driven by its need to secure revenue through broadcasting rights and sponsorships. As McGeehan pointed out, every men's World Cup year brings in substantial funds, which Fifa passes on to host countries. This creates a strong incentive for the organization to maintain close ties with powerful leaders.
However, human rights organizations like Amnesty International have expressed concerns over Fifa's apparent prioritization of finance and power over neutrality and accountability.
The Fifa peace prize has sparked debate about Infantino's motivations and the organization's priorities. While some see it as a genuine attempt to promote world peace, others view it as a strategic move to secure favor with powerful leaders.
The lack of information on how the inaugural winner will be chosen has fueled misgivings about the move. The Fifa peace prize is seen as Infantino's attempt to emulate his predecessor, Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020. However, unlike Čeferin, Infantino has faced criticism for his close ties with powerful leaders.
The chair of the new "social responsibility" committee tasked with devising the process for choosing winners is Zaw Zaw, a 59-year-old Myanmar football federation president who has been at the center of controversy over his alleged connections to the Myanmar military junta. He has been subject to economic sanctions in the US and EU.
FairSquare, a human rights advocacy group, has raised concerns about Fifa's internal dynamics. The organization believes that Infantino's personal announcement of the peace prize without involving the main decision-making body is typical of his style.
Fifa's power dynamics are driven by its need to secure revenue through broadcasting rights and sponsorships. As McGeehan pointed out, every men's World Cup year brings in substantial funds, which Fifa passes on to host countries. This creates a strong incentive for the organization to maintain close ties with powerful leaders.
However, human rights organizations like Amnesty International have expressed concerns over Fifa's apparent prioritization of finance and power over neutrality and accountability.
The Fifa peace prize has sparked debate about Infantino's motivations and the organization's priorities. While some see it as a genuine attempt to promote world peace, others view it as a strategic move to secure favor with powerful leaders.
, but maybe they should've been more transparent about it... I mean, not giving any info on how the winner gets chosen is weird, especially when you consider Zaw Zaw's history 
. I get that Infantino wants to make a big splash and show he's still got connections, but prioritizing finance over peace doesn't sit right with me 
. Some people are saying it's just about securing revenue for the next World Cup, which is true, but can't they find a way to balance that with promoting world peace? 
At least they're trying something new, and who knows, maybe it'll lead to some positive change 
.
and can we please talk about how suspicious zaw zaw's involvement is? 
newsflash: we're not buying it. 
what really matters is how the peace prize money gets allocated and if it's even going towards actual humanitarian efforts or just lining infantino's pockets. 
like, let's talk about how its past actions have been super shady... 
need to see some real accountability from these people. 
this whole thing is just so shady lol, FIFA trying to play both sides of the fence like that? And who does Zaw Zaw think he's fooling with his connections to the Myanmar military junta?! Interesting 
how power and finance can corrupt even the most well-intentioned initiatives...
meanwhile, fair square is right to point out zaw zaw's shady past and how that's gonna reflect on fifa as a whole... i mean, don't get me wrong, peace is important, but can't fifa just have a more transparent process for choosing winners? 
this whole thing reeks of infantino trying to burnish his own reputation rather than actually promoting genuine positive change 
. And what's up with this chair guy from Myanmar? 
I know he's got some baggage, but does Fifa really need him involved in something like this? 
But at the same time, I get why they'd want to do something like this - it's all about revenue and sponsorships, right? 
. Maybe Infantino just wants to make a good impression, but without more info, I'm just not sure what's going on here 
zaw zaw tho is like a whole different story fam, i dont trust him one bit cuz of those alleged connections to the myanmar military junta btw what if fifa is just trying to get closer to powerful leaders so they can secure more revenue and sponsorship deals??? that would be super sus
.
. It just feels like there are some strings being pulled here without enough transparency.
. Let's hope they can make it work and not just end up looking like a PR stunt 
.
? The fact that he announced it without even consulting the main decision-making body is super shady 
. I'm worried that Fifa's just trying to save face after all the criticism Infantino has faced over the years 
. We could use more positivity in the world, right? It's just how Fifa is choosing to go about it that's got me wondering if they're really trying to make a difference or not