The Premier League has refused to accept a petition from Christian human rights advocates for a second time, after renewed calls for officials to hold Manchester City’s owner accountable for his ties to the Sudan civil war.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has urged executives to raise concerns with Sheikh Mansour over the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) alleged support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s civil war against the Sudanese Armed Forces. The conflict has killed at least 150,000 people, displaced 13 million and left 30 million in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
A report released on Tuesday by Human Rights Watch alleges that the UAE provided financial and military support to the RSF, including training Colombian mercenaries before they fought alongside the paramilitary group in Sudan. The report links the RSF to alleged war crimes and genocide. The UAE has denied involvement.
Premier League rules, adopted in 2023, disqualify individuals from club ownership if they have been involved in “human rights abuses”. As well as owning Manchester City, Sheikh Mansour is UAE's vice president and a member of the Abu Dhabi ruling family.
Security staff were instructed not to accept anything from CSW staff and members of the Sudanese diaspora when they attempted to hand over the petition, signed by more than 2,600 people, on 21 May. This was after their initial attempt on 28 April.
“It is disappointing for me, but devastating for those who have experienced the horrors of war, severe human rights violations, and the death of family members and friends," CSW’s chief executive officer Scot Bower said.
After the first attempt, Bower told Premier Christian News it was “really disappointing and an unnecessary hostile inaction” to block CSW and those from the Sudanese diaspora.
Abdallah Idriss Abugarda, Leader of the Darfur Diaspora Association, said: “We are here not because we oppose football, not because we oppose the fans of Manchester City; we are here because football is powerful, and with great power comes moral responsibility, moral obligation.
“The Premier League is not just a business, it is one of the most influential sporting institutions in the world. It speaks proudly about equality, human dignity, anti-racism and social responsibility. Those values that we all share must mean something, not only on the pitch but also beyond it."
Outgoing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said it "hurt" to watch footage from conflicts, particularly with children being harmed, and pledged to use his voice to “speak up to be a better society”. CSW encouraged him to raise the issue with club leaders and officials across the Premier League.