It may be a new year, but Saudi Arabia is still up to its old tricks.
“Forget Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist brutally murdered in a Saudi consulate, and all his colleagues jailed, censored or harassed in Saudi Arabia; don’t think about women’s and LGBT rights in the kingdom; and ignore the mass killings of migrants along the Saudi border with Yemen,” wrote Human Rights Watch’s Claudio Francavilla. “Look, there, Saudi Arabia is hosting the Super Cup, Inter Milan, Real Madrid! It’s the country of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, not repression and rampant human rights abuses.”
This paragraph aptly describes “sportswashing,” when governments attempt to distract the world from their human rights abuses by hosting flashy, star-studded sports tournaments.
The Saudi government is an experienced sportswasher and has used billions from its Public Investment Fund, controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to bolster its reputation and secure sports deals – all in an attempt to obscure it’s systematic human rights violations.
Already this year, Saudi Arabia hosted the men’s Spanish football Super Cup, and is about to host the Italian equivalent. It’s already secured the rights to host the 2034 Asian Games, and it may secure the rights to host the 2034 men’s football world cup. Astonishingly, given the country’s treatment of women, it may even get to host the 2035 women’s world cup.
Additionally, in June, the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the United States-based Professional Golfers’ Association Tour (PGA Tour) announced their merger, which – if finalized – would give Saudi Arabia’s government a position of influence at the top levels of professional golf.
Yet Saudi Arabia has no independent media freedom and sex outside marriage and same-sex relations can be punished with the death penalty. Also, the government bars labor unions, strikes, and protests.
It’s time for sports associations to support human rights – including the rights of their players and fans – instead of Saudi oppression.
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