Saudi Arabia’s sports minister says claims of ‘sportswashing’ against the country are “very shallow”, as he defended its right to host the men’s football World Cup.
Speaking to the BBC in Jeddah, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal said: “A lot of the people that accuse us of that haven’t been to Saudi, or seen what we are doing.”
Critics say unprecedented spending on sport has been used to improve the oil-producing kingdom’s reputation over its human rights record and its environmental impact.
But the Saudi government insists the investment is boosting the economy, opening it up to tourism and inspiring people to be more active.
In his first interview since it emerged the country was bidding unopposed for the 2034 men’s World Cup, the minister:
- Said Saudi Arabia was “studying the possibility” of hosting the tournament in the summer, despite the kingdom’s extreme heat
- Backed the Fifa process that led to Saudi’s World Cup bid…
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