Over 100 top women’s soccer stars, including former US team captain Becky Sauerbrunn and Dutch ace Vivianne Miedema, have penned an open letter slamming FIFA for their sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabian oil giants Aramco.

The players described the partnership, which is part of the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, as “much worse than an own goal,” calling out Saudi Arabia’s controversial record on female and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as Aramco’s contribution to the climate crisis.

Sauerbrunn voiced concerns about the well-being of women currently incarcerated in Saudi Arabia.

“The safety of those women, the rights of women, LGBTQ+ rights and the health of the planet need to take a much bigger priority over FIFA making more money,” Sauerbrunn said in comments via campaign group Athletes Of The World.

The letter openly challenges FIFA to secure replacement sponsors which are in harmony with values of gender equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability; it also urges that players be consulted on ethical aspects of future sponsorships.

“This letter shows that as players this is what we don’t want to stand for and accept within women’s football. It’s simple: this sponsorship is contradicting FIFA’s own commitments to human rights and the planet,” declared Miedema.

In a partnership that saw FIFA and Saudi Arabia draw closer, a deal with Aramco was sealed in April. Come December, FIFA is set to confirm Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 men’s World Cup, with no rival bids on the horizon.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation has sent a thank you message to the Nigerian basketball community and particularly, Zenith Bank Plc, the sponsors of the Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Premier Basketball League, following the successful conclusion of the 2024 premier league season, being the 17th consecutive edition, held in the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The league, which saw the MFM Women Basketball club of Lagos, retain the league title it won for the first time last year, as it defeated Nigeria Customs Basketball club by 64-53 points in the exhilarating final game that had the capacity crowd in attendance on the edges of their seats, from the jump ball.

An elated President of Nigeria Basketball Federation, Engineer Ahmadu Musa Kida, was full of praises and thanks  to Zenith Bank Plc, who are the sponsors of the Women’s premier basketball league, that have contributed immensely to the growth and development of female basketball in Nigeria, and with apparent benefits.

“Words alone are not enough to describe how elated we are at the NBBF and I want to express the sincere gratitude of Nigerians to Zenith Bank plc for the immense support given to Nigeria basketball over the so many years that they have sponsored the league,” he said.

He also noted that the working relationship between NBBF and Zenith Bank has helped to improve the fortunes of female basketball in Nigeria, even as several players like Murjanatu Musa, and others, who were discovered at the past editions of the championship, have gone ahead to represent the D’Tigress (Nigeria’s Women National team) on the continental and global stages, and proudly, so.

He equally recalled that practically all members of the Silver medal winning team of the U18 Afrobasket, the Junior D’tigress of Nigeria are all participants in the Zenith league.

He equally heaped  praises and appreciation on all basketball stakeholders in the country and all the players and officials of the clubs, that participated in the League, beginning from the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences stages of the league.

He enthused that the next edition of the championship shall be more intense, competitive, glitzy and glamorous, as the NBBF, would ensure it continues to deliver top quality games and seamless organisation of the league.

The NBBF President also stated his eagerness to welcome the promotion of two finalists of the Zenith Div 1 women’s league that will be executed soon, to the women’s premier league next year.

Brazil’s clubs are proving reluctant to give up their betting sponsors despite the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) saying it will enforce a ban on club sponsorship by bookmakers across all levels of Brazilian football who do not hold state betting licenses.

Corinthians, who have a deal with Esportes da Sorte, are refusing to drop their sponsorship despite the bookmaker not holding a licence in the state of São Paulo.

Esportes da Sorte does have a registration in the state of Rio de Janeiro, where it holds a five-year licence with the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (LOTERJ).

Until recently that lottery license enabled bookmakers to operate in other states. However, this has been the subject of legal dispute with LOTERJ obtaining an injunction enabling firms to continue operating nationally under its licences, before that decision was suspended in a federal court on October 5.

Corinthians argue that the club “is authorised to continue displaying the Esportes da Sorte brand, according to the current contract, which continues to be fully complied with by the parties”, and is not backing down.

For the moment the CBF has now granted an exception for companies licensed by LOTERJ. Though with the federal government eager for cash and taxes from better regulated gambling market, they may be pressured to change position on this again.

Brazil set to launch nationwide regulation of its gaming market in January 2024