Newcastle takeover 'sportswashing, plain and simple', says Amnesty

A Saudi takeover of Newcastle United would be “sportswashing, plain and simple”, according to human rights body Amnesty International.

The Premier League club are in talks with a consortium which features the Saudi Arabian Sovereign Wealth Fund, controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia has taken an increasingly high profile in global sport recently, staging Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight boxing match against Andy Ruiz last month as well as Spain’s Super Cup.

Amnesty sees this as an attempt to use sport to clean up its image, describing the country’s human rights record as “abysmal”.

“It’s not for us to say who should own Newcastle, but players, backroom staff and fans alike ought to see this for what it is: sportswashing, plain and simple,” said Amnesty’s UK head of campaigns, Felix Jakens.

“Given the deluge of investment in sport we’ve seen from Saudi Arabia recently, a takeover of Newcastle United wouldn’t come as a major surprise.

“Saudi Arabia is well-known for its attempts at ‘sportswashing’ – trying to use the glamour and prestige of top-tier sport as a PR tool to distract from the country’s abysmal human rights record.

“Under the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, there’s been a sweeping human rights crackdown, with numerous peaceful activists jailed, including Loujain al-Hathloul and other brave women’s rights defenders.

“There’s been a blatant whitewash over Jamal Khashoggi’s grisly murder, there are continuing concerns over Saudi hacking, and the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen has a bloody record of launching indiscriminate attacks on homes and hospitals.

“The sportswashing effect can be countered if those involved are willing to do so. Staff and fans at Newcastle United should familiarise themselves with the dire human rights situation in Saudi Arabia and be prepared to speak out about it.”

Saudi officials said last year that Khashoggi was killed in a “rogue operation” by a team of agents who were trying to persuade him return to his native country.

Newcastle’s owner, Mike Ashley, is considering a £340m bid by the consortium. Amanda Staveley, a Dubai-based financier, is serving as a conduit between the Saudis and Ashley and hopes to assume a 10% stake in the club in any final agreement.

source: theguardian.com