Abstract
The contemporary phenomenon of sportswashing, in which authoritarian regimes, exemplified recently by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, strategically use international sports, particularly soccer and golf, to bolster their global image while deflecting attention from their human rights violations is explored to find the role of the West in enabling sportswashing. The concept of sportswashing, its contemporary relevance, and its association with the complicity of FIFA and other sporting organizations are explored. There are also other examples of Western involvement in enabling sportswashing, with a focus on the human rights abuses associated with this involvement.
A detailed definition of sportswashing across different sports and regions, tracing its historical development is provided, using case studies, such as the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United and the Qatari acquisition of Paris Saint Germain, to illustrate how sportswashing works and the nature of the West's apathy. There is then further exploration into the implications of the merger between the Saudi LIV golf league and the PGA.
Next, the human rights violations in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and how sportswashing obscures these issues by deflecting attention away from human rights violations in favor of sporting and touristic achievements in these regions, are laid out. This is followed by detailing the specific violations of relevant international agreements, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Convention Against Torture (CAT), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
This comment then outlines a legal framework for international intervention to address sportswashing. It discusses the potential avenue of bringing UDHR violations to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) and using the OHCHR Guiding Principles to hold Western companies accountable. The article also explores how international jurisdiction can compel international sports federations to cease their support for sportswashing, drawing parallels with remedies for greenwashing issues. Additionally, the comment explores legal remedies based on CEDAW and CAT violations.
The conclusion summarizes the global rise of sportswashing, emphasizing the persistent nature of sportswashing as a contemporary issue and predicting its continuation without international intervention. This comment advocates for global efforts to address sportswashing and its nexus to human rights violations, providing a legal framework for action.
First Page
55
Recommended Citation
Karan
Kaushal
The Rise of Sportswashing: How the Support of the West and Global Apathy Enables International Human Rights Violations,
20
Loy. U. Chi. Int'l L. Rev.
55
(2024).
Available at:
https://lawecommons.luc.edu/lucilr/vol20/iss2/4