The Saudi Ministry of Health’s release stressed that cholesterol-lowering medicines, especially statins, are approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) as well as by international authorities. It asserted that these drugs are safe and effective in the prevention of heart disease and stroke, and that the critics of these medicines are spreading misinformation.
However, the Ministry’s objection appears to be more about safeguarding the state’s reputation for infallibility than people’s health. Instead of communicating with the public through open and evidence-based dialogue, the Saudi strategy is to mute voices. The General Authority of Media Regulation even went as far as declaring it would take legal action against people accused of posting “false or unethical” content online — a step that obfuscates the distinction between state censorship and health regulation.
It is this autocratic instinct that is the very reason why Saudi Arabia cannot be allowed to host the FIFA World Cup — an event that stands for openness, tolerance, and world unity.
Censorship Disguised as Public Welfare
Saudi Arabia’s repression of health misinformation can’t be considered an isolated incident. It’s part of a broader trend of state dominance of speech, in the name of “public welfare.” From silencing journalists reporting on government incompetence, imprisoning women’s rights activists for seeking equality, to punishing people for tweets deemed “unethical,” the regime’s fixation on controlling narratives is well-documented.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Saudi Arabia ranks 170th out of 180 countries on the 2024 World Press Freedom Index — one of the worst in the world. This statistic reveals the hollowness of Riyadh’s claims about “protecting citizens from misinformation.” In a country where even mild criticism can lead to imprisonment, the definition of “false information” is entirely in the hands of the regime.
Such repression goes beyond the sphere of politics and enters the everyday. The health field, education, and even entertainment are closely controlled. When the government announces that it will take “legal action” against propagators of medical disinformation, it’s not so much about protecting health as about preserving a monopoly on truth.
Sportswashing Through Control and Repression
The latest PR efforts by Saudi Arabia — from staging high-profile boxing events to pumping billions into golf and football — are all part of a global lobby called sportswashing. The agenda is clear: to buff the kingdom’s international image, divert attention from human rights violations, and spin a tale of progress and modernity.
The 2034 FIFA World Cup is the crown jewel of this campaign. But tales like the Ministry of Health’s crackdown expose the reality behind the glitz: a nation in which dissension is not tolerated, where laws penalize free speech, and where the state determines what people can think or speak — even regarding their own health.
Having the FIFA World Cup in such a state contributes to diminishing the values of equality, openness, and human dignity that the tournament is supposed to uphold. It turns the world’s most popular sporting event into a platform for propaganda by authoritarian regimes.
Human Rights Abuses Cannot Be Whitewashed
Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights continues to rank as the world’s worst. The nation still executes dissidents, limits women’s freedom, and criminalizes LGBTQ+ identities. Amnesty International reports indicate that over 170 executions occurred in 2023 alone, most after unfair trials.
Meanwhile, human rights activists such as Loujain al-Hathloul, who struggled to secure women’s right to drive, have been arrested and tortured just for voicing their concerns. Scholars and journalists are jailed for tweets, and online critics are subjected to monitoring and punishment.
These are facts that contravene the very own Human Rights Policy of FIFA, which undertakes to respect human rights as recognized by the international community and to ensure the host countries respect these values. By hosting the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, FIFA is party to perpetuating a regime that daily violates them.
The Illusion of Reform
The Saudi government actively touts its “Vision 2030” plan — an ambitious guide to retool the economy and society. But under the PR slogans is an unchanged system. The tolerance of dissent within the regime is still close to zero.
The same government that professes to be “empowering citizens” is the one accusing people of crimes for sharing medical opinions on the internet. The same rulers who boast of “diversification and innovation” are jailing environmentalists, labor activists, and anyone who dares to question the official line.
This pretence at reform is intended for international audiences — the very audiences that FIFA wants to bring in for the 2034 World Cup. But as the Ministry of Health statement a few days back highlights, lasting change cannot be built without liberty.
Why the FIFA 2034 Boycott Matters
The international call to boycott the Saudi 2034 World Cup is not a political stunt — it is a matter of morality. Letting the tournament be hosted by Saudi Arabia would send a message to repressive governments all over the world that repression can be ignored if there is sufficient money involved.
FIFA has already been roundly criticized worldwide for awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, where thousands of migrant workers were said to have died constructing infrastructure under abusive working conditions. To do it again in Saudi Arabia would send a far darker signal — that human rights, freedom of the press, and free speech mean nothing when compared to oil riches and sponsorships.
The global community, civil society, and football fans everywhere have to act. The same caution Saudi Arabia insists on exercising against “health misinformation” must be exercised regarding its political misinformation campaign — one aimed at projecting the image of progress while silencing whistleblowers who uncover the reality.
Call to Action: Keep FIFA Accountable, Defend Human Rights
The world cannot stand idly by as Saudi Arabia leverages sport to whitewash its reputation. All the fans, media, and human rights activists must call for FIFA to strip Saudi Arabia of hosting rights for 2034 until the Kingdom shows true reform — such as releasing political prisoners, safeguarding free speech, and setting up open laws that honor human dignity.
If a nation jails individuals for what they say, suppresses medical conversation, and regulates the press, it cannot in good faith host the world’s finest celebration of freedom, competition, and unity. The FIFA World Cup must bring people together — not be used as a shield for repression.
It’s time the world boycotts Saudi 2034 and sends a strong message: sport must never be at the cost of human rights.