Qatar 2022 Zero Emissions World Cup: Misleading advertisements from FIFA

World Cup in Qatar without emissions? not exactlyon the contrary. This is confirmed by a report issued by the Loyalty Commission, the body that regulates advertising in Switzerland. The commission found that FIFA breached the rules against unfair competition by making claims about the green nature of the World Cup that could not be proven, while using controversial compensation procedures that did not meet Swiss standards.

FIFA has been discovered – Commented on The Guardian’s Andrew Sims, director of the New Weathers Institute, who denounced FIFA from the UK – Sport continues to be used as a giant billboard by some of the biggest climate change culprits, promoting polluting products and lifestyles, threatening the future of athletes, fans, and sport itself. It is time for sport, and its governing bodies such as FIFA, to use its power and position to accelerate the low-carbon transition, rather than delay it and mislead the public.”

FIFA has described the Qatar World Cup as the “first carbon-neutral tournament” in history, although it is estimated that the tournament will produce more carbon dioxide than any previous event. FIFA had stated that these emissions would be “offset” – for example – by planting gardens around the stadiums. The Swiss regulator deemed these allegations baseless and unprovable. Although FIFA writes again and again that they will offset emissions in full to be definitively accounted for at a later date. – reads the committee’s report – Unable to provide evidence that estimated emissions have been offset. Furthermore, it is not clear whether the compensation procedures comply with Swiss standards.