GENEVA (AP) 鈥� The United Nations鈥� top human rights official called Wednesday for a 鈥渕assive rethink鈥� of immigration policies especially in the United States around the .
Issues around 鈥渞acial profiling, surveillance and immigration enforcement鈥� were cited by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker T眉rk even before the 48-nation, 39-day tournament starts Thursday.
was moved from a training camp in Arizona to Mexico, some Iranian officials were denied U.S. entry visas, was refused entry in Miami and images circulated of a Senegal player being frisked by a security guard on airport tarmac.
鈥淲e have seen some of the scenes,鈥� T眉rk told reporters at a briefing at the U.N.鈥檚 human rights agency headquarters.
鈥淚 hope that the issues around racial profiling, around surveillance, around immigration enforcement are not going to affect this World Cup in the way that they have already done,鈥� the Austrian lawyer said.
The U.S. is hosting most of the 104 games in a shared project with Canada and Mexico, though it is only the policies of federal agencies under U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration that have drawn criticism.
鈥淚 really hope that there is a massive rethink of how immigration enforcement is respecting human rights and human dignity,鈥� T眉rk said, 鈥渁nd that especially for the World Cup there is a rethink of the policies that we are unfortunately seeing prevailing especially in the U.S. at the moment.鈥�
T眉rk said global sports should be 鈥渨here the world comes together in unity and in peace.鈥�
鈥淚t is clear that the environment in which mega sport events including the World Cup take place need to provide a dignified and safe environment, for the teams that compete but also for the supporters, for the whole society and frankly for the world,鈥� he said.
Fans from countries like Morocco and Scotland, who spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and tickets for the , have reported having their travel documents denied or revoked just days before they were due to travel.
贵滨贵础鈥檚 for nations wanting to host this World Cup stated visa processing 鈥渕ust be applied in a non-discriminatory manner,鈥� with the caveat it must not 鈥渁dversely affect the national immigration and security standards.鈥�
US links referee to terror groups
In the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, a U.S. official said he was refused admission due to 鈥渁ssociation with suspected members of terror organizations,鈥� though without specifying details or providing proof.
FIFA was unable to protect the referee it picked for World Cup duty despite its president building closer ties to Trump and administration officials in the past 18 months.
FIFA also has on business and human rights that it pledged should be respected at its tournaments.
T眉rk highlighted a wider point about the treatment of people worldwide moving between different nations.
鈥淚 also hope that the dehumanization of the other, the dehumanization of migrants, the dehumanization of refugees and asylum seekers is put to an end,鈥� he said. 鈥淣obody benefits from divisive and polarizing narratives.鈥�
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