FIFA World Cup 2022 has reached its nail-biting knock-out stage. For big-spending hosts Qatar, the tournament has provided an opportunity to bask in the international spotlight, but it has also drawn scrutiny of human rights and the treatment of migrant workers in the Gulf state. On Deep Dish, Jules Boykoff & Minky Worden discuss the growing phenomenon of sportswashing, why sport appeals to autocratic governments, and how businesses, athletes, and fans can respond. Plus, we spoke to sports writers and analysts to understand how fans perceive accusations of sportswashing. 

Reading List:

• Qatar 2022: China and Iran Confront the Political Power of the World Cup, Chris Morris, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, November 28, 2022

• NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Beyond, Jules Boykoff, Fernwood Publishing, April 01, 2020 

• The World Cup is Exciting, Lucrative, and Deadly, Minky Worden, Newsweek, August 23, 2022