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- Saudi Arabia’s MBS brushes aside ‘sportswashing’ allegations
Saudi Arabia’s MBS brushes aside ‘sportswashing’ allegations
The allegation of 'sportswashing' is leveled at countries perceived to be using sport to improve their tarnished image abroad
In a recently aired interview with Fox News, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) said he does not care about “sportswashing” allegations against his kingdom, and that he will continue funding sport as long as it adds to his state’s GDP.
"If sportswashing (is) going to increase my GDP by 1 percent, then we'll continue doing sportswashing," the crown prince said.
The allegation of "sportswashing" is leveled at countries perceived to be using sport to improve their tarnished image abroad.
Saudi Arabia has made massive investments in soccer, golf, Formula One, boxing, and tennis in recent years through its Public Wealth Fund (PIF), which is chaired by MBS. Critics accuse Saudi Arabia of using its sovereign wealth fund to engage in "sportswashing" in the face of heavy criticism of its human rights record.
Saudi Arabia denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.
When asked specifically about the term "sportswashing,” MBS said, "I don't care. I have 1 percent GDP growth from sports and I'm aiming for another 1.5 percent. Call it whatever you want – we're going to get that other 1.5 percent."
PIF owns an 80 percent stake in Premier League soccer club Newcastle United and funded LIV Golf, which recruited high-profile players from the PGA Tour and Europe's DP World Tour before announcing an agreement to merge and form one unified commercial entity. It also took a majority ownership stake in four of the country's top soccer clubs in June before teams in the Saudi Pro League spent nearly $1 billion in the transfer window.
Saudi Arabia has been hosting a Formula One Grand Prix since 2021 and has also held boxing world title fights. It will stage a professional tennis event for the first time this year.