Amnesty demands more action on ‘sportswashing’ ahead of Chelsea-Newcastle clash

Amnesty International has called on the football authorities to do more to combat ‘sportswashing’ as Chelsea prepare to face Saudi-bankrolled Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

It will mark the Blues’ first home match since sanctions were imposed upon owner Roman Abramovich for his links with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Newcastle were taken over by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in October and Magpies co-owner Amanda Staveley said last week she was “really sad” that Abramovich had been effectively stripped of ownership.

The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund has given legally binding assurances, which have been accepted by the Premier League, that the Saudi state will have no control over Newcastle.

Amnesty International UK’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said: “Big money has obviously dominated top-level English football for years, but this game is a particularly stark reminder of the fact we’re now in an era of global sportswashing.

“Saudi Arabia’s purchase of Newcastle was a glaring example of modern sportswashing – with Mohammed bin Salman adding St James’ Park to a portfolio of sporting acquisitions designed to reshape Saudi Arabia’s international image and distract from the country’s appalling human rights record.

“Roman Abramovich’s links to a Russian state which has crushed dissent at home and carried out suspected war crimes in Syria have long been known, so questions currently being asked about the Chelsea owner should have been asked many years ago.

The Premier League urgently needs to catch up with a world where sport is a convenient tool of soft power and image management- Amnesty International UK

“The Premier League urgently needs to catch up with a world where sport is a convenient tool