Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman now says he does not care about ‘sports washing’ accusations. For a long time, his kingdom has been accused of improving its international reputation by investing in sports and using high-profile sporting events. Last year, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) took a lead role in the takeover of Premier League club Newcastle United and also launched LIV Golf. Bin Salman has now said: "If sports washing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we'll continue doing sports washing. I don't care (about the term). I have a 1% GDP growth from sport and am aiming for another 1.5%. Call it what you want - we are going to get that 1.5%." 

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The Gulf nation has been criticized for its human rights violations. There were 81 men who were executed on the same day last year, there have been cases of human rights abuses, the restriction of free speech, and the war in Yemen just to name but a few of what the Gulf nation has been accused of. The international standing of Saudi Arabia was severely damaged by the killing of the US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was a tough critic of the government. Human rights campaigns now claim that sport is being used by the Saudi government to distract from all the aforementioned long-standing reputation issues. 

Felix Jakens of Amnesty International UK said: "Saudi Arabia's acquisition of high-profile sports businesses like Newcastle United or the PGA Tour are as much about sports washing the country's appalling human rights record as they are about adding one or two percent to national GDP. The huge amounts of Saudi money currently sluicing through football and other sports are creating most of the headlines but, behind the drama of these transactions, the Saudi authorities are busily cracking down on human rights. Mohammed bin Salman's rule has been a truly dark time for human rights in Saudi Arabia. No amount of talk about economic visions or expansion into new sporting ventures should be allowed to distract from that fact."

The Saudi authorities, however, have repeatedly rejected the sports washing accusations and say that investment in sports is a key part of the 'Vision 2030' strategy. The Gulf nation's sovereign wealth fund has estimated assets of $620bn (£550bn). The chairperson of Newcastle Yasir Al-Rumayyan also serves as the governor of the PIF which is under the control of Bin Salman. Newcastle's green and white third kit last season resembled the Saudi Arabia national team kit and, at the time of its release, sparking speculations of "clear evidence" of sports washing. Saudi Arabia will be hosting the Club World Cup in December this year which will be the first time that the Gulf nation is hosting a major Fifa event. Speculations are ripe that Saudi Arabia will be bidding to host the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups. 

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(Image: The Guardian)