In recent years, Saudi Arabia has recruited a number of world-renowned footballers, most recently Brazilian Neymar. It is said that Saudi Arabia is doing sports washing. “They need this publicity that sport provides,” says foreign affairs commentator Lisa Grenfors.
It was in the middle of August that the news came that attacking star Neymar is going from Paris Saint-Germain to al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. There, he can count on an annual salary equivalent to one billion Swedish kronor. Neymar will also, in addition to a long list of various material things, receive six million kroner every time he posts something positive about Saudi Arabia.
A number of football stars have chosen to move to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo was the first. The country also attracts stars from other sports, including handball players and golfers. This has become a big talking point in the sports world recently. Football journalist Therese Strömberg believes that this is an expression of the direction football has taken for decades.
– Actors who want to use sport for political purposes have been given platforms and Saudi Arabia has of course seen its opportunity. With pretty good timing, they have come in and wanted to make their mark in this sport, she says.
Among other things, Saudi Arabia is known for having no freedom of opinion, limited women’s rights and poor treatment of migrants. Foreign affairs commentator Lisa Grenfors believes that the country recruits so many athletes in order to bring in money for the country, despite its bad reputation. According to her, Neymar’s post serves as huge propaganda for Saudi Arabia.
– Saudi Arabia needs this publicity that sport provides, she says.
“Political agendas have taken a bigger place”
While more and more players choose to go to Saudi Arabia, those who do receive a lot of criticism, both from the media, the civilian population and football supporters. In the long run, however, Therese Strömberg believes that playing for Saudi Arabia will become more and more normalized.
– For several decades, it has been seen that football has developed in a direction where the use of different political agendas has taken an increasingly large place in European football. This is escalating all the time, says the football journalist.
Therese Strömberg also believes that several European clubs already contribute to sports washing undemocratic countries – by receiving, among other things, sponsorship money and money for the sold players.
– European football has shown with all desirable clarity that football is for sale and whoever has the most money will win, says Therese Strömberg.