Sportswashing: Sweeping discrimination under the Turf

Sportswashing is a term that has been seen frequently in newspapers, reports, and on social media within the past few years. 

While it is not a new phenomenon, the term has only recently been given a concrete name. Sportswashing refers to the use of sports, by countries and corporations, to cover up human rights abuses and discriminatory laws against women, the queer community, migrant workers, and other people.   

 Possibly the first incidence of sportswashing in a modern context is the 1936 Olympic Games being held in Nazi Germany. Held after the introduction of the antisemitic Nuremburg Laws, the goal was that by holding the games in Germany, the Nazis could use it as an example of the apparent superiority of their nation. 

It was a form of propaganda where the Nazis were desperately aiming for the international community to accept their fascist beliefs as being based in reality. They ultimately would be unsuccessful with this due to the remarkable skill demonstrated by the African-American athlete, Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the games. However, sportswashing has maintained its presence into the twenty-first century.  

 More recently, Russia and Qatar have both been in the spotlight in regards to sportswashing with them hosting the FIFA World Cup, in 2018 and 2022 respectably. Both countries are known for having negative attitudes and laws which impact gay and transgender individuals greatly. 

Despite this, the football games were elevated as being the more important area of discussion and many who claim to be supporters of queer rights, followed in the footsteps of promoting the games in these countries. Pansexual comedian Phil Lycett went viral during 2022 for his campaigning for David Beckham to withdraw as brand ambassador for the Qatar World Cup. 

It was argued that David Beckham was betraying LGBTI+ fans in his support for games to be held in a country where many could not feel safe and would not be able to be openly queer.   However, the idea of using something to cover human rights abuses extends far past simply sport. 

Often, it will be argued that a country or corporation has positive attitudes towards queer people and therefore, there is nothing bad associated with that country or corporation. This is called pinkwashing and it is deeply harmful. The illusion of a positive queer utopia in a country like Israel, which is currently being accused of genocide against the Palestinians in the International Court of Justice, exposes this. While sportswashing is dangerous, so is any form of washing over the crimes and violations of a nation.  

 We should be more mindful in general over what we devote our time and energy to. Is a football match more important than a human being feeling safe in their country? Is it necessary to spend billions on promoting an event that migrants have died to help construct? 

Is any song contest or fashion show worth the high cost of human suffering? This Pride, it is vital we remember that support for LGBTI+ rights is a year-round affair and that the community shouldn’t be exploited for any movement that continues to oppress and marginalise.