‘We’ll keep on sportswashing’: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince says he ‘doesn’t care’ about criticism of the Gulf kingdom’s investment in Newcastle and golf – as long as it grows their GDP

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has dismissed the Kingdom’s accusations of ‘sportswashing’, claiming he ‘doesn’t care’ about the term.

The country has pursued a sports-focused growth agenda over the past five years, as Saudi Arabia itself has hosted a wealth of events, from boxing matches to football tournaments.

The Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been at the center of a number of high-profile sports takeovers, taking over Newcastle in November 2021 and launching the lucrative and controversial LIV Golf series the following year – which later merged with PGA Tour and DP World Tour in June.

Saudi Arabia’s moves in the industry are seen by some as an attempt to burnish the country’s reputation and shift attention away from its human rights abuses.

But the crown prince – who is also his country’s prime minister – was convinced that the term had little meaning for him in the pursuit of financial growth.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of making heavy investments in numerous different sports to burnish its reputation and draw attention to allegations of human rights abuses.

Investments in the rebellious LIV Golf series later saw the PIF complete a shock merger with the PGA and DP World Tours

“If sportswashing is going to increase my gross domestic product by one percent, then we will continue with sportswashing,” Bin Salman said. Fox news. ‘I don’t care about that (term).

‘I have 1 percent growth in gross domestic product from sports and I am aiming for another 1.5 percent. Call it whatever you want, we will achieve that 1.5 percent.’

Criticism of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record has come from numerous groups and charities and includes allegations of exploitation of migrant workers, criminalization of the LGBTQ+ community, the imprisonment and torture of anti-Saudi dissidents, restrictions of freedom of expression and opposition to the ongoing war. in Yemen.

In May, the SANAD organization flew a banner calling for the release of all Saudi prisoners over St James’s Park during a clash between Newcastle and Arsenal.

The group ‘NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing’ protested the international match between Saudi Arabia and Costa Rica at the Tyneside ground last week, holding up posters of several young men who they said were on death row in the kingdom ‘for demonstrating ‘.

Newcastle have been dogged with accusations of Saudi involvement in the club, despite written assurances during the takeover that the Saudi government would have no control over the running of the club, but this has since been questioned.

The Magic chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan was described earlier this year as a “sitting government minister” in a US lawsuit involving LIV Golf.

The club was also accused of designing last season’s third kit, after the Saudi Arabian national team’s home shirt, in what Amnesty International called ‘clear evidence that the regime was using Newcastle to project a positive image’ .

Al-Rumayyan is now chairman of the recently merged golfing LIV-DP-PGA and oversees the top four clubs in the Saudi Pro League – Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli – as they also own are from the PIF.

Aggressive investment in Saudi Arabia’s domestic football league took the lion’s share of headlines during the summer transfer window, with a number of global sporting icons including Karim Benzema and Neymar Jnr signing big sums to play in the fast-growing league.

International interest in the Saudi Pro League has blossomed as a result of its high-profile recruits – and the eye-catching price tags that come with it – and the country is keen to capitalize on the interest with a bid for the World Cup. in 2030 or 2034.

Newcastle were criticized for last season’s third kit, which mimicked the Saudi national team jerseys

Magpies chairman Yassir Al-Rumayyan was described as a ‘sitting government member’

It is believed that Saudi Arabia has set its sights on building its influence in the tennis sector as the next area of ​​investment, and will host the Next Gen ATP Finals in November.

The country has entered talks with the WTA to host this year’s finals and has pledged to triple the prize money as they work to secure their bid.

Saudi officials have long denied motives other than financial ones behind their active moves in the sports world, instead stating that sports are a cornerstone of the ‘Vision 2030’ strategy.

The program was launched in 2016 in an effort to diversify the Saudi economy from dependence on oil exports.