Kimmich on Saudi WC vote: Players aren't experts

Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich has said that players are not experts on human rights and should not be expected to comment on the issue of Saudi Arabia hosting the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

"We are footballers, not politicians," Kimmich said. "We are not experts on human rights."

Kimmich's comments come after FIFA president Gianni Infantino was criticized for saying that players should not be expected to comment on human rights issues. Infantino said that players should focus on playing football and leave politics to the politicians.

However, many players have spoken out against Saudi Arabia's human rights record, including Norway's Ada Hegerberg and England's Lucy Bronze. Hegerberg has said that she will not play in the World Cup if it is held in Saudi Arabia, and Bronze has said that she is "deeply concerned" about the country's human rights record.

Saudi Arabia has been criticized for its treatment of women, LGBT people, and dissidents. The country has a male guardianship system that gives men authority over women in many aspects of life, and LGBT people are criminalized.

FIFA has said that it is committed to human rights and that it will work with Saudi Arabia to ensure that the World Cup is held in a safe and inclusive environment. However, it remains to be seen whether FIFA will be able to hold Saudi Arabia to account on its human rights record.

In the meantime, players like Kimmich are being asked to speak out about human rights issues. However, Kimmich believes that players should not be expected to be experts on human rights.

"We are footballers," Kimmich said. "We are not politicians. We are not experts on human rights."

Kimmich's comments have been met with mixed reactions. Some people have praised him for speaking out, while others have criticized him for being dismissive of human rights concerns.

It remains to be seen whether Kimmich's comments will have any impact on the debate about Saudi Arabia's human rights record. However, his comments have certainly sparked a conversation about the role of athletes in speaking out about social and political issues.