How "Sportswashing" is Changing the Game

Dissidents and Dictators

Dictatorial regimes from Russia to Saudi Arabia to China are investing millions of dollars into hosting major sporting events and investing in teams in free societies, in an effort to improve their human rights images internationally and pivot the global eye away from their repressive measures. Countries like Saudi Arabia and China have been leading these investments and bids in global sporting events to whitewash crimes. Panelists will examine just how authoritarian regimes are using this method of "sportswashing" to divert attention away from their reprehensible human rights records, and the trends and implications of these soft power, high-dollar tactics. Panelists: Garry Kasparov, Chairman, Human Rights Foundation Karim Zidan, Investigative Journalist, The Guardian / freelance Irade Kashgary, Director and Activist, Uyghur American Association Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer, The Independent