Football for Science?


A new proposal draws inspiration from FIFAÂ’s benefit sharing model to support fair reward systems in global health, especially in pandemic preparedness.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, global health experts recognized the critical role played by scientists, particularly those in the Global South, who identified and provided vital data about the Omicron variant. However, these scientists, like Botswana-based virologist Sikhulile Moyo and South African bioinformatics scientist Tulio de Oliveira, were the last to benefit from the treatments developed due to geopolitical constraints, even facing travel bans and threats for their contributions.

Gabriel Butin, head of global health at an international forum, spearheaded a study exploring how FIFAÂ’s solidarity model might offer a framework for fair compensation in global health. In soccer, FIFAÂ’s system mandates that clubs compensating playersÂ’ training clubs with solidarity payments for each transfer, providing long-term benefits to smaller clubs involved in player development. This 'solidarity mechanism' has led to substantial financial returns across playersÂ’ careers, like when Sporting CP and Manchester United received payments from Cristiano RonaldoÂ’s transfers.

Inspired by this model, global health advocates such as Spring Gombe suggest that a similar framework could address inequities in how health benefits and resources are distributed. A centralized clearinghouse, like FIFAÂ’s, could track contributions from scientists worldwide and distribute resources fairly. This system could benefit the researchers and institutions contributing to pandemic data, thus sustaining research efforts in low-resource regions that often bear the brunt of epidemic responses.

The proposal is timely, as ongoing pandemic treaty negotiations with the World Health Organization (WHO) seek equitable frameworks for data sharing and benefit distribution. An approach akin to FIFAÂ’s could streamline processes, automate benefit distribution, and establish accountability mechanisms that safeguard contributors from retaliatory actions like travel bans. Although differences in global health governance complicate direct implementation, integrating a centralized clearinghouse and digital platform could enhance collaboration and resource sharing.

Critics, however, caution that such a model might favour wealthier nations or organizations, much like how FIFAÂ’s structure benefits richer clubs. This risk of inequality underscores the need for flexibility and alignment with existing regulations, such as the International Health Regulations (IHR). Still, supporters argue that the pressing need for fairer pandemic preparedness systems makes FIFAÂ’s model a valuable reference.

Ultimately, a benefit-sharing model for global health could foster international solidarity by ensuring fair rewards for pandemic data providers, fortifying research infrastructure worldwide, and building trust—elements essential for effective, equitable global health responses.

Link to DEVEX article:

- https://www.devex.com/news/soccer-and-science-can-global-health-learnfrom-fifa-s-benefit-sharing-108261


This news piece was published in the gem, Oct/Nov 2024

Click on the image above to read the gem, genomics, epidemics & microbes or scan the qrcode.

News date: 2024-10-31

Links:

https://issuu.com/the.gem/docs/3rdedition_the_gem_newsletter_a4_v2?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ


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