Australia's Irvine says Trump peace prize makes a mockery of FIFA Human Rights Policy

MELBOURNE, April 28 : Australia midfielder Jackson Irvine says soccer's credibility as a force for good has been undermined by the game's global governing body, accusing FIFA of making a mockery of its Human Rights Policy.

In an interview with Reuters, Irvine took aim at FIFA's decision to give its inaugural Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December for "promoting peace and unity around the world".

The U.S., which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico, launched a military strike on Venezuela a month after the draw and began joint airstrikes with Israel on Iran on February 28.

"As an organisation, you would have to say decisions like the one that we saw awarding this peace prize makes a mockery of what they're trying to do with the human rights charter and trying to use football as a global driving force for good and positive change in the world," Irvine told Reuters.

"Decisions like that feel like they just set us back in the perceived market of what football currently is, especially at the top level where it's becoming so disconnected from society and the grassroots of what the game actually is and means in our communities and in the world."

FIFA and the White House did not provide immediate comment.

Human rights groups and activists have widely condemned the awarding of the Peace Prize to Trump. Norway's soccer federation on Monday called for FIFA to abolish it to avoid being drawn into politics.

STATEMENT OF PROTEST

FIFA published its first Human Rights Policy in 2017. Its Human Rights Framework for the 2026 World Cup includes provisions for host cities to promote inclusion, protect freedom of expression and prohibit discrimination during the June 11 to July 19 tournament.

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