Practice of using sports to improve a tarnished reputation
F1 in Bahrain is an example of sportswashing.
Sportswashing is a term used to describe the practice of nations, individuals, groups, corporations, or governments using sports to improve reputations tarnished by wrongdoing. A form of propaganda, sportswashing can be accomplished through hosting sporting events, purchasing, or sponsoring sporting teams, or participating in a sport.[1]
At the international level, it is believed that sportswashing has been used to direct attention away from poor human rights records and corruption scandals.[2] At the individual and corporate levels, it is believed that sportswashing has been used to cover up vices, crimes, and scandals. Sportswashing is an example of reputation laundering.
^"What is sportswashing and why is it such a big problem?". Greenpeace UK. 23 March 2023. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
^Wilson, Jonathan. "Sportswashing and Global Football's Immense Power". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
corporate levels, it is believed that sportswashing has been used to cover up vices, crimes, and scandals. Sportswashing is an example of reputation laundering...
spend on 'sportswashing'". The Guardian. 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2024-01-04. "PIF chairman Mohammed bin Salman 'doesn't care' about 'sportswashing' accusations"...
image through sports. Human rights groups have criticized LIV Golf as sportswashing, a political strategy by Saudi Arabia to cleanse its repressive global...
Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia has denied the Grand Prix was being used for sportswashing, arguing that the race forms part of the country's efforts to open itself...
Financial gains are not the sole rewards of sportswashing; there are also reputational benefits. Sportswashing which is said to involve the leveraging of...
sporting journalists and who have described the transfers as part of a sportswashing scheme by the Saudi government. Starting in the 2009–10 season until...
condemnation by human rights organizations who characterized the takeover as "sportswashing." The other 19 Premier League clubs condemned the Saudi takeover of...
football in the country. He has been criticised for participating in sportswashing, by receiving money to promote World Cup hosts Russia and Qatar. In...
ten-year period. The attempted takeover was "a blatant example of Saudi sportswashing", according to Kate Allen of Amnesty International UK. The British government...
kingdom's strategy received criticism for appearing as a method of sportswashing soon after Saudi's US-based 2018 lobbying campaign foreign registration...
other critics have characterized Sheikh Mansour's sports investments as sportswashing to improve the image of the UAE amid its controversial human rights...
via a popular sport like football, committing a practice known as ‘sportswashing’. The council also demanded the release of detainees put on death row...
workers, women, and position on LGBT rights, leading to allegations of sportswashing. Others cited Qatar's climate, lack of a strong football culture, and...
Messi was condemned the role which was viewed as an attempt of Saudi sportswashing. In April 2023, Messi was featured in the 200 year old Thrissur Pooram...
chairman, Steve Dawson, was met with criticism accusing Saudi Arabia of sportswashing. Amnesty International criticised snooker's involvement in Saudi Arabia...
community against participating in China's sportswashing efforts. According to Amnesty "China is hoping for sportswashing gold and it's vital that every effort...
(including suppression of women's and LGBT rights), allegations of sportswashing, and the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Some WWE...
against Saudi Arabia from human rights organizations for attempting to sportswash its image. Six Flags Qiddya, which is currently under construction is...
allegations in Rwanda and that Rwanda president Paul Kagame is using sportswashing to enhance the country's reputation. Parliament of Rwanda TIGC (28 March...
of a wider audience. The Grand Prix has been cited as an example of sportswashing. Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, event organisers announced that...
the Bahrain's human rights abuses and spoke out on the allegations of sportswashing. Hamilton said he "won't let it go unnoticed" after an 11-year-old boy...
thaifoodandtravel.com. Retrieved 2022-04-12. Kelley, Ryan. "What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)?". Freakonomics. Retrieved 2022-06-27. "The Surprising...
Arabia by WWE have been subjected to criticism due to allegations of sportswashing. WWE has been accused of contributing to Saudi Arabia's discrimination...
the tournament. The proposal attracted controversy for accusations of sportswashing Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record, and the country's unfavourable...
Sweden to UAE move". FirstSportz. Retrieved 2023-11-03. "Why the UFC's 'sportswashing' of Chechnya's dictator is a problem". the Guardian. 2018-09-29. Retrieved...
Global Information