History of Sport Washing and its impact in the Middle East

With its roots being drawn back to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany,  Sports-Washing is the practice of an organization, a government, or a country, supporting sports or organizing sports events as a way to improve its reputation. By associating themselves with popular sporting events or teams, governments or organizations aim to improve their public image, distract from human rights abuses, or downplay societal issues. The Middle East is one place we can see two clear examples of sport washing since 2010

One of the most notable examples of sports washing in the Middle East is the case of Qatar and the FIFA World Cup. Qatar is a constitutional monarchy in which Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani reigns supreme. It clamps down on free expression and assembly and exerts significant prohibitions against labor organizing. In 2010, when it won selection Qatar lacked many of the stadiums, hotels and highways needed to stage the tournament. To build them, the country turned to its massive population of migrant workers from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka with very dangerous working conditions. A 2021 investigation found that more than 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since 2010. Many people were also very quick to point out many of Qatar's human rights issues including Qatar's male guardianship system, which denies women the right to make key decisions for themselves among many other women's rights issues as well as laws that same-sex relations are punishable by a three-year prison term.

Saudi Arabia is another example of a Middle Eastern country using sport washing. In the case of Saudi Arabia, the kingdom has strategically engaged in sports washing to bolster its international image while attempting to obscure numerous human rights issues plaguing the nation. Saudi Arabia has actively pursued hosting major sporting events notably includes its hosting various sporting events, including high-profile motorsport events like Formula 1 races, boxing matches, golf tournaments, and international tennis competitions as part of its broader vision to diversify its economy and present a more progressive image on the global stage.

Artist Statement: For my project, I decided to create a virtual reality art gallery/museum on the history of sports washing and how it is impacting the Middle East, especially in the countries of Qatar and Saudi Arabia.  Both have formed partnerships with major sports leagues, organizations, or athletes to divert attention away from their own human rights issues and I want to bring attention to their actions as some countries might start to use their money to gain the rights to World Cup or Olympics to cover up human rights issues.

LINK TO VIRTUAL MUSEUM:

https://www.spatial.io/s/Impacts-of-Sport-Washing-656672517aef26139f588834?share=6758407750874528486