Sportswashing is a common tool used by governments or authoritarian regimes to improve their global image while diverting attention from controversies and human rights abuses. The term was first used in 2015 to describe Azerbaijan’s use of the European Games; however, it became prominent when Amnesty International linked it to the major sports events, Sochi 2014 and the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Although the terminology has come into the light recently, the strategy has existed long before it. Throughout history, from the Berlin Olympics in 1936 to contemporary FIFA World Cups, sports have been used by governments to strengthen their image, promote legitimacy, and use them as tools of distraction from misconduct. This article explores the evolution of sportswashing and how it is weaponised to create political influence and shape international perception.

What Is Sportswashing?

Sportswashing is the strategic use of sports by individuals, corporations, governments, or groups to sanitise their crimes while staging an event to boost credibility, enhance global reputation, and hide wrongdoing. The term was coined in 2015 by combining two words, “sports” and “whitewashing.” The core purpose of sportswashing is to redirect public attention. It exploits positive sports emotions to distract from negative publicity. The key performers of this concept are authoritarian states like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Western regimes like Germany and the USA, and major climate-unfriendly commercial companies.

Nazi Germany 1936: The Prototype

The foremost example of sportswashing can be traced back to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. This model later influenced major sports events. Before the Olympics started, the Nazi government temporarily removed anti-Jewish signs and discriminated politically against Jews to improve its image in the global arena. Helene Mayer, the only Jewish woman, was allowed to participate in the German team and was used as a symbolic inclusion to counter accusations.

Moreover, Germany won most of the medals, which further improved its image internationally. The event got widespread global praise and a favourable international perception. The New York Times quotes it as “the biggest athletic games ever held.” Hence, the propaganda succeeded for a short period of time, and later it exposed its true nature as persecution intensified after the Games. It introduced more aggressive policies and later invaded Poland in 1939.

Qatar’s 2022 World Cup and the Politics of Sportswashing

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is........

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