Dictators Continue To Score In International Sporting Events

We take a look at recent and upcoming sporting events hosted by some of the world’s worst human rights offenders:

Equatorial Guinea: African Cup of Nations 2012

Freedom House Status: Not Free

A veteran on Freedom House’s annual “Worst of the Worst” list , this small nation has been subject to the corrupt and repressive rule of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for more than 33 years. When this country was picked to cohost the 2012 African Cup of Nations, Obiang stated that he viewed the event as an opportunity to “sell the country’s image.” That image was by all means what Obiang wanted it to be, as the domestic media are controlled by the government, and media allowed into the country for the competition were closely monitored.

Bahrain: Bahrain Grand Prix

Freedom House Status: Not Free

The monarchy’s crackdown on antigovernment protests has led to the deaths of more than 80 people since February 2011. The unrest prompted the cancellation of the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix, as many of the teams refused to participate. However, since then the competition has carried on, despite objections from human rights groups. The royal family controls all aspects of public life, and the government has dismissed accusations of human rights abuses and ignored calls for political reform.

Azerbaijan: European Games 2015

Freedom House Status: Not Free

When Azerbaijan hosted Eurovision in 2012, it was seen as a controversial choice given the country’s poor human rights record. Activists used the increased foreign media presence to call attention to the various human rights violations that have occurred during the rule of President Ilham Aliyev. In the aftermath of the competition, many of these activists were imprisoned, including a lawyer who defended families that were displaced in order to build a venue for the event. The rest of Europe appears to be unconcerned by the government’s crackdown on civil society, as Azerbaijan has been awarded the honor of hosting the first European Games in 2015.

Qatar: World Cup 2022

Freedom House Status: Not Free

The price tag for the 2022 World Cup is estimated at an astounding $200 billion, with facilities that include air-conditioned stadiums and a city built for participants. Qatar is an absolute monarchy that harshly suppresses dissent, but the labor force used to build these World Cup megastructures has been the focal point for criticism by human rights activists. Only about 12 percent of the population is Qatari nationals; the rest are noncitizen residents and migrant workers. Exploitation of migrant workers is commonplace, and exit visas give employers the power to ban workers from leaving the country, leaving them more susceptible to abuse. Qatar clearly has ambitions to host other major events, having bid unsuccessfully for the 2020 Olympic Games and the 2017 World Championships in Athletics.

Belarus: 2014 International Hockey Championship

Freedom House Status: Not Free

Given its long list of political prisoners and even longer record of human rights abuses, Belarus’s selection by the International Hockey Association to host the 2014 International Hockey Championship is troubling. President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s rule has been brutally repressive, with laws banning even the most innocuous forms of protest—such as clapping and displays of teddy bears —and constant harassment of the media and the opposition.

Russia: Winter Olympics 2014, World Cup 2018

Freedom House Status: Not Free

The country’s anti-LGBT laws have encouraged violent acts against the maligned groups, drawing comparisons to the treatment of Jewish people under the Nazi regime in Germany. In the next five years, Russia is scheduled to host two of the most prestigious sporting events in the world. However, its laws contradict the spirit of the competitions. While the IOC continues to reassure the world that the ban on LGBT “propaganda” will not affect persons attending or participating in the Sochi Olympics, Russia’s Interior Ministry has stated that it will be in effect during the games.

This is a shortened version of a post that originally appeared on Freedom House's blog.
*Written by Geysha Gonzalez, External Relations Intern at Freedom House