Sportwashing Learning Exercise

● What were the political external factors in the articles that could impact an athlete and a
fan from being committed and involved in the sport?

Some of the political external factors included in the articles were; Hitler taking over as a
dictator, leading to oppression and hate towards the Jews prior to the Nazi Olympics. Migrant
exploitation such as wage discrimination and passport confiscation, cramped and unsanitary
living accommodations, and—when filing grievances—employer retaliation in Qatar. Lastly–
racism, attacks against human rights, lack of diversity, and oppression in Bahrain.
These factors harmed the host countries’ images, leading them to engage in sportwashing.

● In the articles, how did the host nation/political leadership try to distract athletes and fans
from what was occurring – what were examples cited in the articles?

The hosts tried to distract athletes and fans from what was really going on in their country by
pouring a large amount of money into the upcoming sporting event that the country would soon
host. By focusing so many assets into the sporting event, the countries hoped that the athletes and
fans would focus on the enjoyment of the event rather than the problems within the host country.
The logic behind this thinking assumes that if fans and athletes enjoy a major event that the
country hosts, then they will think highly of the country, forgetting about its previous problems.
Examples include the introduction of the torch relay in the Nazi Olympics, new rapid transit
systems and family-friendly entertainment hubs in Qatar, and the Bahraini government issuing a
“statement strongly denying any accusations of sportswashing.”

● What is an ethical dilemma for an athlete who wants to participate in an event in a

country where Sportwashing may occur? If you are a fan/supporter of a team/athlete
participating in an event in a country where Sportwashing may occur?

An ethical dilemma for an athlete who wants to participate in a country where sportwashing is
occurring is whether they want to compete in a city which is trying to cover up an unethical act
that is harming its name. Athletes feel obligated to put on a show for the fans and sponsors, and
they just want to participate in the sport that they love. But if they do so, they feel that they may
be taking advantage of the fans that can’t see through the sportwashing, therefore partaking in it.
Other reasons that athletes might not want to participate are that their name may go down with
the host’s, or they don’t want to promote the actions of the host country.
Similarly, fans and supporters may struggle with the ethical dilemma of whether to attend, watch,
or otherwise support the events in these countries where sportwashing is occurring. They may
question whether their enjoyment of the sport outweighs concerns about complicity in promoting
a positive image for the problematic host country.