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Pro Case Studies
In this case study, the ISCTE analyzes sportswashing as a strategy as opposed to being a form of diplomatic corruption. To do so, the ISCTE uses the case of Qatar hosting the next FIFA World Cup and examines four advantages of using this sporting event to benefit their country:
(1) The first argument characterizes sportswashing as a source of national pride because there is “an increased prestige by winning international tournaments” (31).
(2) Sportswashing can be portrayed as an inspirational tool that motivates the population to “live a healthier lifestyle…and motivate Qatari people to participate in sporting activities” (32).
(3) Sportswashing is a more peaceful alternative to military force because countries are able to seek power through attraction gained by sports (5).
(4) Sportswashing can be used as a tactic that successfully promotes economic gains and long-term growth.
In interviews with proponents of Qatar hosting the next World Cup, Qatar is portrayed as “a small, hospitable and generous country” that is very central in the middle east area of the world. Its centrality allows for easy access to the country from all corners of the world. By hosting the next FIFA world cup in Qatar, interviewers also had the general consensus that westerners – for example, us in the United States – will be able to experience the country and eliminate any past misconceptions we’ve had about Qatari culture and the country as a whole. In the interviewers' opinions, many western tourists would be very shocked and impressed by the “great sense of hospitality [Qatar has] towards foreigners” and “the modern state of the country, with top facilities, impressive infrastructure and a wide range of leisure activities” (ie. museums, restaurants, beaches” (36). Lastly, since Qatar is central to the middle east, hosting the World Cup would be very beneficial and prideful for the entire Arab world. This will bring individuals who otherwise wouldn’t have traveled there to be exposed to and experience Qatar’s “unique, friendly, and hospitable culture” (37). In other words, this case study argues that sports have the power to dismantle misconceptions other countries have about certain regions.
ISCTE then explains Qatar’s hosting of the next World Cup as being advantageous for the environment. Qatar is committed to creating stadiums and surrounding infrastructure that is environmentally friendly and sustainable for future use (24). They are committed to this goal and have shared their plan for implementing the following (24):
1) 170 seats will be removed from many venues after the tournament and then donated to countries that “lack sporting infrastructure, where it can be used to build sporting facilities.”
2) New “energy-efficient cooling technology and removable roofs” will allow the stadiums to be used the entire year for professional and other sporting events.
3) Some stadiums will be “repurposed into community facilities such as hospitals, schools, and hotels” following the World cup.
4) The FIFA World Cup in Qatar will overall be more environmentally friendly and promote positive outcomes for the country’s society and other countries around the world.
Overall, this case study shows sports (and especially soccer) as a central factor in “Qatar’s pursuit of soft power in the international system” (41). Their hosting the World Cup allows Qatar to showcase its economic, political, and cultural power as well as redefine itself as being a stable and modern country – especially by westerners who have perceived the country and the Arab world in a more negative light in the past (41-42). This case study uses Qatar potentially hosting the World Cup as an example of sports being a strategic method to “brand the country as a first-class hub for international sporting tournaments and gain international recognition through hosting successful events in state-of-the-art venues” (41) This case study also notes the Qatari government's creation of the SIGA (Sport Integrity Global Alliance) which is an organization that aims to “achieve greater transparency, fight against corruption in sport, and work towards sports integrity in global sports” (29). By partnering with the SIGA, Qatar and other countries can limit the corruptive aspects of using sports as a way to “cover things up” and rather use sports to promote a country’s global reach.
Cons Case Studies
Sports washing was a relevant concern during Qatar's FIFA World Cup in 2010 as Qatar faced widespread criticism from international news and human rights groups concerning its suitability. Qatar was the smallest country in the running and did not have the necessary infrastructure to hold the tournament, so they spent around 200 billion euros on the rebuilding of their country in order to fix this. With all of the construction occurring, there were concerns about worker exploitation and unfair treatment towards foreign workers. Along with the infrastructure problems, Qatar’s climate also raised concern as the summers there are extremely hot and not a safe environment for physical activity. There was intense competition between the bigger countries, which led to the suspicion that Qatar has some kind of legal advantage. Many issues regarding the 2010 FIFA World Cup arose as Qatar was unfit to hold this tournament but still won the right to have it compared to other countries in better conditions.
Sportswashing has become extremely popular within the Olympic games, as many countries are using this event to help better their country's image. The purpose of the Olympics is to bring a sense of peace and competition between countries without any political or religious reasoning getting in the way. However, this friendly competition is not the same as countries continue to take advantage of the games and use it for their own benefit. Many companies use the games to receive more profit and attention from people who follow the games, but it is important for countries to think of their moral principles first. Totalitarian governments are able to use sports washing to directly improve their country’s image and allow for them to showcase their political regime. Although they have Human Rights tracks, by hosting these games, countries make themselves look better and other countries soon sympathize with them. For example, this occurred in the 1936 Olympics with Nazi Germany and the Aryan Strength at the Berlin Olympics. Although China has had problems concerning human rights abuses, they were still able to host the Olympics and get global views. Countries and companies have the opportunity to market themselves during the Olympic games because it is one of the most televised events and typically has an audience of three billion people, which could lead to people perceiving them in different ways. When a country is not hosting, they continue to find ways to raise their country’s image and often do this by throwing their money into the games. Coca-Cola has been one company that is taking advantage of the games to make people aware of their company. They have done this by putting ads in different languages to ensure that they are promoting their product worldwide and capturing the largest audience for their investment. Because of China’s large population, Coca-Cola made sure to promote its product to Chinese consumers so that its company could grow. China has many issues with abuse and hidden problems in their country, but continues to hide this through sporting events. Given all of these problems, companies need to think about their investments and consider whether it is valuable to invest in the games or not. Some companies have experienced a drop in ratings, which leads to the company making less money and having a lower return on investment. Companies are not considering the effects of sports washing before they invest in the Olympics due to the problems that might arise because of it.
A big issue regarding Qatar hosting the World Cup was the country’s poor record on migrant workers' human rights. Many of these workers died due to poor working conditions. They hoped that the tournament would cover up this negativity and improve their national image. The fact that they were a small country helped their case as issues regarding human rights violations were not featured in headlines around the world. Instead, people were only hearing about the good sides of Qatar because they were hosting the World Cup.
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