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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Matthew Hall

Report takes aim at Fifa and IOC over policies for athletes convicted of sexual assault

A general interior view of MetLife Stadium, host venue for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Fluminense FC and Chelsea FC at MetLife Stadium on July 8, 2025 in East Rutherford, United States.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey will host the 2026 World Cup final. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

With the draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup set to take place on Friday, a report examining the participation of athletes convicted of sexual offences at major sporting events has highlighted significant distrust of international sports governing bodies in how they deal with these situations.

The report, titled No One Wants to Talk About It, is the result of interviews with elite athletes directly affected by sexual abuse and is intended to gauge attitudes around the eligibility and accreditation criteria for athletes with prior criminal sexual convictions and their participation at mega sporting events.

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