Sportswashing in Representation

Image Source: UCSD Guardian

What is Sportswashing?

Sportswashing is when a state or company tries to whitewash human rights violations by sponsoring a sports team or hosting a sporting event or sports tournament. For example, China hosted an Olympics in Beijing and some countries boycotted the event because China is treating Uyghurs in Xinjiang inhumanely, disappearing its citizens, and hindering Taiwan and Hong Kong’s autonomy. There was a very cool example of this in Ted Lasso (which is an awesome show) where players on a soccer team covered the name of a sponsor on their jerseys in protest of the company’s bad practices.

Sportswashing and Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has a documented track record of human rights violations, and it has launched a persistent, intense sportswashing lobbying campaign in the past few years. Representatives have met and conducted business calls with commissioners and officers for major US sports leagues, like Major Soccer League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, World Wrestling Entertainment, etc. Its most recent sportwashing attempts have been hosting Formula One, trying to form a new golf tournament with top US golfers, and taking over Newcastle United (UK soccer team).

2022 World Cup

Although Qatar has recently implemented reforms to its kafala system, where a migrant worker’s status is controlled by a private citizen or company instead of the state, migrant workers are still not treated fairly. These same workers are responsible for making sure the stadium and infrastructure is ready for the World Cup this winter. There are reports of other human rights violations in Qatar, like lack of freedom of expression and life sentences for activists. Athletes who speak out against the decision to host the World Cup  jeopardize their participation, while some flat-out refuse to participate.

There are also concerns regarding LGBTQ+ fans and the fact that LGBTQ+ persons in Qatar do not have protected rights and many aspects of their lives are criminalized. One Qatari official suggested that (while LGBTQ+ fans are welcome) “any unfurled rainbow flags in Qatar could be confiscated in order to protect those waving them from being physically attacked.” FIFA has flashed its rainbow logo around during Pride month, and yet the last two hosts of the World Cup (Russia and Qatar) are not safe or supportive places for the LGBTQ+ community. I should’ve had that in my rainbow washing post.

Resources

• Sportswashing Is Everywhere, but It’s Not New

• Could 2022 be sportswashing’s biggest year?

• How Phil Mickelson got clocked by his own backswing

• How clean do the Saudis expect to get by sportswashing with men's golf?

• Saudi Arabia: Rights groups condemn 2021 Formula One debut as "sportswashing"; incl. co. comments

• Sportswashing: how Saudi Arabia lobbies the US's largest sports bodies

• Saudi Arabia and China are accused of using sports to cover up human rights abuse

• Sportswashing: The Gulf Countries’ Strategy To Mask Abysmal Human Rights Records

• Qatar: Amnesty International calls on F1 to embed labour standards in supply chains & drivers to "speak out" on sportswashing; incl. F1 comment

• Speaking out against sportswashing and the 2022 Qatar World Cup

• The Tragic Absurdity of Qatar’s World Cup Sportswashing