Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, stated that he is unconcerned with claims of” sportswashing” against the kingdom and will continue to support sports if it increases the nation’s gross domestic product ( GDP ).
The accusation of” sportswashing” is directed at nations that are thought to be using activity to boost their tarnished reputation worldwide.
We’ll keep doing sportswashing if it increases my GDP by 1 %, the crown prince told Fox News.
Through its Public Wealth Fund, which is headed by the queen prince and has been the de facto ruler of the kingdom since 2015, Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in sport, golf, Formula One, fighting, and golf in recent years.
In response to harsh criticism of Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights, critics accuse the nation of using its sovereign wealth fund to engage in” sportswashing.”
Saudi Arabia asserts that its rules safeguard its national surveillance and refutes claims of human rights violations.
The crown prince responded,” I don’t care ,” when specifically questioned about the term” sportswashing.” My GDP has increased by 1 % as a result of sports, and I intend to increase it by another 1.5 percent. Whatever you want to call it, we’re going to get that additional 1.5 %.
PIF funded LIV Golf, which attracted well-known players from the PGA Tour and Europe’s DP World Tour before announcing an agreement to combine and form one unified commercial entity, and it owns an 80 % stake in Premier League club Newcastle United.
Additionally, it acquired a lot ownership play in four of the nation’s major soccer clubs in June, before Saudi Pro League teams spent close to US$ 1 billion during the transfer window that ended on September 7.
Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has hosted the Formula One Grand Prix as well as world championship matches in fighting. For the first time this month, it will host a professional sport event.