The double standards of the racing series
Formula 1 makes a guest appearance in the land of 81 executions
03/23/2022, 4:05 p.m
The Formula 1 Grand Prix in Russia was canceled due to the attack on Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia’s reputation has also been battered – but the state with a lot of money can present itself in a bright light thanks to the racing series.
81. Saudi Arabia – where world champion Max Verstappen, Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton and Co. drive at the weekend – reported 81 executions in just one day. “When we hear news like this, it’s pretty alarming,” said Formula 1 Managing Director Stefano Domenicali before the second race of the year (Sunday, 7 p.m. CEST/Sky and in the ntv.de live ticker) at Sky Sports.
Domenicali sees no reason to cancel the spectacle in Jeddah because of human rights violations in the absolute monarchy. On the contrary. Formula 1 helps to give the topic “a different status in the news”, the abuses could be put in “an intense limelight”, said the Italian.
Domenicali’s reasoning is used again and again by sports managers, who like to take the big money from Saudi Arabia, to justify their events in dubious states. According to human rights organizations, Saudi Arabia, among other things, uses major international events to “distract from its widespread human rights violations,” as Human Rights Watch puts it – so-called sportswashing. The image of the desert state is to be polished internationally.
Reality is brutal
At the Formula 1 debut in Saudi Arabia at the end of last year, the makers put in a lot of effort. Justin Bieber, Jason Derulo, A$AP Rocky and David Guetta set the mood alongside the cars, it was part of the “Vision 2030” of the highly controversial Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It is an outrageously expensive strategy to make the economy less dependent on oil and to attract foreign investors and tourists.
But the reality in Saudi Arabia is this: repression of dissidents, human rights activists and clergy. According to human rights organizations, the toleration of homosexuality, freedom of religion and equal rights are “at risk or non-existent”. Also unforgettable is the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in 2018 in the Saudi embassy in Istanbul by a special commando from Riyadh.
After the Russian attack on Ukraine, Formula 1 acted and canceled the race in Sochi. Why not also in the case of Saudi Arabia or other countries? That’s what 90 members of the European Parliament asked Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the World Association FIA. They accuse the FIA and Formula 1 of actively promoting sports washing and showing “strong double standards” in Russia. Other “bloody deals” should also be put to an end. But Domenicali will probably not get involved in that.