The perfect host - Saturday 7 June
Saturday 7 June 1:00pm
Location: Hackney Picture House, 270 Mare Street, London, E8 1HE
Who is the winner when a country whose history is stained with human rights abuses is awarded the right to host a major sporting event? And with the world watching, what responsibility do the likes of FIFA and the International Olympic Committee have to challenge brazen human rights abuses in host countries like Brazil, Qatar and Russia?
This panel explores whether the mass appeal, highly influential, money-spinning world of sport has a duty to act as a moral compass when it comes to sporting events. Is it time to change the rules when the losing side is often human rights?
Our panel will be chaired by BBC sports presenter Karthi Gnanasegaram, who has covered events including the World Cup, the Olympics, the Champions League, and Wimbledon.
Speakers include:
- Philippe Auclair, France Football and author of Cantona: the Rebel Who Would Be King
- James Lynch, our researcher on migrant workers in the Gulf and lead author of our recent publication on Qatar’s construction sector ahead of the World Cup
- Sanaa Qureshi, Football Beyond Borders, using football as a tool for social change
- Rory Smith, Times football reporter who has covered World Cups and European Championships as well as the Port Said disaster in Egypt.
See the other films and events that are part of our Sidelines film festival