Saudi Arabia has pinned its hopes on Neom being a “global hub for sport”, and hopes to attract international sporting leagues to the project. But if the backlash to the Saudi Ladies International and Saudi Ladies Teams International golf tournaments, due to take place in Saudi Arabia in November, is anything to go by, they have their work cut out for them.
The events were announced by the Ladies European Tour, which billed them as being a “landmark moment for women’s sport in the kingdom”. They would be the first time a women’s sporting tournament takes place in the kingdom – and to sweeten the deal, there is a $1.5 million prize pot.
But not everyone shares LET’s enthusiasm. Amnesty International has slammed the decision, with the organisation’s director, Kate Allen telling the Guardian: “With leading Saudi women’s rights activists currently languishing behind bars, there’s an unmistakable irony to the spectacle of Saudi Arabia throwing open its heavily-watered greens to the world’s leading women golfers like this.
“Under the Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia has embarked on a major sportswashing drive – attempting to use the glamour and prestige of big-money sporting events as a PR tool to distract from its abysmal human rights record.”
She added: “Every golfer considering whether to compete in Saudi Arabia ought to take a proper look at the human rights situation in the country and be prepared to speak out… We’d urge any golfer who makes the trip to Saudi Arabia in November to use her profile to help highlight human rights issues in the country, not least with an expression of solidarity with jailed women’s human rights defenders like Loujain al-Hathloul or Nassima al-Sada.”
The tournament will not take place in Neom, but at the Royal Greens Golf Club in King Abdullah Economic City. However, it will be a key test of whether the Saudi regime can bring sporting events to Neom when, or if, the megaproject is completed.
It would not be the first time that attempts to pull in the sports industry has resulted in negative publicity for the kingdom. When the Royal Spanish Football Federation allowed teams including Real Madrid and Barcelona to play in Saudi Arabia, the matches were banned from being shown on Spanish state TV on the grounds of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
Golfing legend Tiger Woods has also previously refused to play in the Saudi International tournament, turning down $3 million to attend, with fellow golfer Rory McIlroy saying that “morality” was the reason he refused to take part.
The distinction between playing in Saudi Arabia and in its quasi-autonomous Neom seems to have little difference to those invited to the country to play.
This was recently seen in the esports sector, where leagues BLAST, which runs online tournaments for the online video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Riot Games’ League of Legends European Championship, both cancelled planned partnerships with Neom after an angry backlash from gamers. Those who raised objections did so on the basis of the kingdom’s appalling human rights record.
Global understanding of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia are continuing to hamper Saudi desires to “sportswash” its appalling record. Continuing pressure can make a further difference.
