Svenska Spel defends sponsorship of Swedish squad at Qatar World Cup

Sweden’s state-owned lottery and gaming operator will continue to sponsor Sweden’s World Cup side despite concerns over Qatar’s human rights record.

Sweden.- The state-owned operator Svenska Spel has defended its decision to go ahead with its sponsorship of the Swedish squad at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

Svenska Spel has sponsored Sweden’s national side for decades and plans to continue to do so next summer despite having concerns over Qatar’s human rights record.

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The operator’s sustainability manager Kajsa Nylander and sponsorship manager Nicklas Biverstahl said they recognised that Qatar “lacks respect for human rights” but that they saw the World Cup as an opportunity for change.

They said: “We understand that many people feel that a boycott is the most reasonable choice when championships are decided in countries that lack respect for human rights.

“We do not advocate general demands for a boycott. Instead, we believe that the Football Association should be there and do what they can to contribute to long-term change, both within the country and within FIFA when host countries are chosen in the future.

“So, even if in this case we regret the choice of host country, our ambition is to do what we can to contribute to long-term social improvement. We believe this is a better choice than a boycott.”

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