Photo credits: PavelByrkinPhotographer/Shutterstock.com
Many athletes worldwide were preparing themselves to take part in the Summer 2024 Olympics set to take place in Paris. However, while sports are supposed to be a symbol of international unity and community, they are often used to historically oppress the most vulnerable populations of the host cities. An infamous case being 2022 World Cup in Qatar in recent times.
Sports investments appeal to states due to their potential payoffs, particularly financial ones. Journalists and advocates who overlook the economic aspects of sports miss a crucial reason behind state involvement. The football economy, for example, is quite unstable, characterised by the industry's relegation structure, inconsistent rules, and concealed labour costs. In spite of this, Qatar has managed to profit by trying to dominate football’s value chain. Qatari broadcasters and sponsors fund Qatar-owned clubs, which in turn use their talent to promote these broadcasters and sponsors, thereby enhancing their profitability. This strategy gives Qatar, a rentier state, the opportunity to expand its economy beyond just oil and gas.
In addition to financial benefits, there are significant gains to the country’s reputation. Sportswashing is not merely just the happy accident of merging athleticism and misconduct. For states seeking to launder their image, it involves leveraging the appeal of sports to disprove and undervalue information that may be harmful from reaching global audiences. Autocrats resort to laundering when manipulating content surrounding controversies to influence public opinion seems feasible. For example, in 2019, celebrity athlete David Beckham visited Qatar commending how “safe” and “great” their stadiums were. It is possible that Beckham was not persuaded to make those remarks, however they fail to coincide with the truth about the exploitations of migrant workers across the construction and hospitality industries. Concerns include wage discrimination and passport confiscation, crowded and unhygienic living conditions, and employer retaliation and state detention when grievances are filed.
Qatar has also faced criticism for treating women like second-class citizens, who must obtain permission from a male guardian to be able to enjoy bare minimum privileges, as well as its stance on homosexuality, which is illegal and an offender can spend up to three years in prison for the crime. In the first week of the tournament, FIFA warned a few European teams that they would be fined and disciplined if they wore clothing articles that advertised gay rights.
The emotions heavily involved in sports are most often used to undervalue nocuous practices. Real-life laundering is creating an incredibly rich and entertaining climate that changes people’s perceptions. The experience of participating in pre-game events and tailgates, chants, posters, and celebrations can be so captivating and thrilling that it changes how spectators view name brands and autocratic states. Qatari executives in charge were banking on this, even offering fans free flights, entry, and accommodation (5) to experience Qatar and the World Cup firsthand. The requirement being that admirers have to partake in a planned execution of the event and relay any knowledge they have on Qatar being criticised on social media platforms.
The effectiveness of this latest form of sportswashing is currently at stake as fans of sports worldwide look forward to deciding what games to watch, with their friends and families, in pubs and homes. While watching a sports game, the news articles they choose to talk about, and share will be important. The personalities they follow will be important. The subject of their conversations will be important. Ultimately, how Qatar’s World Cup and the Paris Olympics are discussed now and talked about later will determine whether massive investments in sportswashing over the past decade benefit reputationally.
The tournament was being used as a way to sportswash authoritarianism, a collaboration between the West and Qatar. Once a headlight is shone on the part that governments play, true accountability will be attainable.
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