Alister Thompson, director of FIFA's Ethics and Standards Watch (an affiliate of the International Football Confederation), welcomed the suspension of the Premiership sale of Newcastle to Saudi Arabia indefinitely.
Thompson described the move as rational, and sends a strong message to the Saudi authorities that it is necessary to clean up its human rights record before purchasing one of the most famous English clubs.
He said that the Foundation called on the Saudi government, in the last period, to improve the treatment of human rights activists, and demanded the British government to intensify its engagement with the Saudi government, and pressure it to release all political prisoners and human rights activists.
The Saudi Foundation also called for ensuring justice for the family of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, ending Saudi Arabia's interference in Yemen, other regional conflicts, closing the pirated channel "BTC," and allowing the rebroadcast of "BN Sports" channels in Saudi Arabia.
An ethics and standards watchdog affiliated with FIFA, monitors the sports association’s adherence to federation standards.
The Saudi investment fund has been seeking to acquire 80% of the shares of the old English club for several weeks, for $ 375 million, which was a great rejection inside and outside Britain, and by human rights organizations, in what was described as "washing shame" with sport.