Sportswashing - Are Nations Hiding Their Crimes Behind Games?
25 SEPTEMBER 2023
Sportswashing, a term that has gained prominence in recent years, refers to using sports to rehabilitate a tarnished reputation for individuals, groups, corporations, or even entire governments.
It's a form of propaganda that can take various forms, from hosting international sporting events to sponsoring teams or even direct participation in sports.
This term has often been linked to efforts to divert attention from human rights violations and corruption scandals.
At its core, sportswashing is a technique employed for reputation laundering.
On the global stage, sportswashing has been associated with a nation's soft power. One of the earliest instances of this practice being labelled as "sportswashing" was in the context of Azerbaijan's hosting of the 2015 European Games in Baku.
But it's not limited to a single nation or region. This phenomenon transcends borders and ideologies.
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At its core, sportswashing is a technique employed for reputation laundering
One stark example of sportswashing's reach and costliness is Saudi Arabia. In March 2021, the human rights organization Grant Liberty reported that Saudi Arabia had spent an astounding $1.5 billion on alleged sportswashing activities.
This oil-rich kingdom has been accused of using high-profile sporting events to cleanse its reputation on the global stage.
For instance, the acquisition of Premier League club Newcastle, United Kingdom, by a group led by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund raised considerable concerns.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which played a significant role in financing the deal, provided "legally binding assurances" that it operated independently from the state.
However, the reasons behind these concerns are far from trivial.
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One stark example of sportswashing's reach and costliness is Saudi Arabia.
One pressing issue is the use of the death penalty. Saudi Arabia stands out for its high number of executions, with 81 men executed in a single day in March 2021.
These executions were for "multiple heinous crimes," including terrorism, kidnapping, and rape. Such practices have drawn widespread condemnation.
The murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, a prominent Saudi journalist critical of the government, further damaged Saudi Arabia's international standing.
A UN-appointed human rights expert concluded that Saudi agents had used state means to execute Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Senior Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, were implicated, seriously tarnishing the crown prince's reputation.
Additionally, the imprisonment of women's rights activists, crackdowns on intellectuals, clerics, and reformists, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen have all cast a long shadow over Saudi Arabia's image.
It brings us to a crucial question: Is sportswashing effective?
Can it truly erase the stains on a nation's reputation while it continues to engage in questionable practices?
Should nations with substantial resources, like Saudi Arabia, not prioritize funding causes that alleviate human suffering rather than sports?
It's an ethical dilemma that the sports world faces. While funding is essential for the sustainability of sports, it also faces the challenge of discerning the legitimacy of funding sources.
Cutting ties with questionable sources could potentially harm the sports themselves.
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It brings us to a crucial question: Is sportswashing effective
However, in the case of Saudi Arabia, a nation with immense wealth, there is a moral imperative to consider how those resources are used.
The world is watching, and the question lingers: Can sportswashing truly cleanse a nation's reputation, or does it merely cast a brighter spotlight on its darker deeds?
The answer lies in sports and the broader sphere of ethics, accountability, and global conscience.
Some other examples of nations accused of 'sportswashing':
Qatar faced criticism and allegations of sportswashing in the lead-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, mainly related to labor rights and working conditions for migrant workers.
China has been accused of using sports events like the Beijing Olympics to improve its global image while facing scrutiny for issues such as human rights abuses and censorship.
Russia's hosting of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and its involvement in various sporting events have been associated with efforts to counter negative publicity, especially regarding doping scandals.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been criticized for using sports events and investments in sports clubs to improve its global image while facing concerns related to labor rights and political freedoms.
Bahrain has been accused of using sports, particularly motorsports like Formula One, to divert attention from its human rights record and political unrest.
Turkey has faced accusations of using sports, including football, as a tool for political purposes, and has been criticized for its human rights record.
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