5 months ago
In April, nan world governing assemblage for women’s master tennis made a arguable announcement: The yearly season-ending tourney for nan Women’s Tennis Association, aliases WTA, will beryllium held successful Riyadh from 2024 to 2026.
As mightiness beryllium expected, nan determination caused an uproar. Critics pointed to Saudi Arabia’s grounds connected quality rights, and specifically connected women’s rights, to reason nan tournament, known arsenic nan WTA Finals, should not beryllium staged successful nan country. In their eyes, Saudi Arabia’s connection of lucrative investments successful nan WTA, including a grounds prize cookware for nan tournament, successful bid to triumph hosting authorities is simply nan latest illustration of Riyadh’s sportswashing.
Indeed, Saudi Arabia’s accelerated succession of jaw-dropping investments successful nan world sports industry, made done its Public Investment Fund, is successful portion responsible for nan abrupt emergence of nan word “sportswashing”—essentially nan usage of athletics to amended a country’s world image. In this case, nan statement is that Riyadh is utilizing its sports investments to distract nan world from its quality authorities record.
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