{"id":29962,"date":"2023-10-28T10:20:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-28T08:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/?p=247476"},"modified":"2023-10-28T12:11:40","modified_gmt":"2023-10-28T10:11:40","slug":"sportswashing-have-nations-always-used-sport-to-launder-their-reputations","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/rss_feed\/sportswashing-have-nations-always-used-sport-to-launder-their-reputations\/","title":{"rendered":"Sportswashing: have nations always used sport to launder their reputations?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As countries with questionable human rights records buy overseas teams and vie to host global tournaments, Matt\u00a0McDowell speaks to Matt Elton about the rise of \u2018sportswashing\u2019 \u2013 and whether sport and power have always gone hand in hand <\/p>

By Matt Elton\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 28 October 2023 at 08:20 AM<\/p>

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Matt Elton: The term \u2018sportswashing\u2019 has been in the headlines a lot recently. What does it mean?<\/h2>\n
Matt McDowell:<\/strong> The aims of sportswashing are similar to those of propaganda, public relations and soft power \u2013 to launder the reputations of nations, institutions or organisations deemed to have liabilities in terms of human rights, free speech, lack of electoral processes and so on.<\/p>\n
Certain nations tend to be accused by western commentators of sportswashing, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Qatar, which famously hosted the 2022 Fifa men\u2019s World Cup, has been heavily criticised for its labour rights, LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer] rights, and treatment of migrant workers. It\u2019s also bought teams in other countries, such as the French football club Paris Saint-Germain in 2011.<\/p>\n
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On the podcast | World Cup history: everything you wanted to know<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What Saudi Arabia is doing is a bit more ambitious. It bought Newcastle United Football Club in 2021, and last year started \u2028a golf league, LIV Golf, to rival the long-established PGA Tour; a merger between the two has since been announced. So its international influence is huge.<\/p>\n
The fact that specific nations tend to be accused of sportswashing by the west means that we should be cautious about our use of the term. In the west\u2019s rush to judgment of such nations, it\u2019s possible to overlook the fact that they may genuinely be aiming to develop domestic sport in an effort to improve public health outcomes \u2013 reducing levels of obesity, for instance.<\/p>\n
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Read more | A history of unsporting conduct at the Olympics<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Watch: Why do New Zealand rugby teams perform the haka before matches?<\/h2>