Matt Elton: The term ‘sportswashing' has been in the headlines a lot recently. What does it mean?
Matt McDowell: The aims of sportswashing are similar to those of propaganda, public relations and soft power – 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.
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's World Cup, has been heavily criticised for its labour rights, LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer] rights, and treatment of migrant workers. It's also bought teams in other countries, such as the French football club Paris Saint-Germain in 2011.
What Saudi Arabia is doing is a bit more ambitious. It bought Newcastle United Football Club in 2021, and last year
