Politics of Sports Investment in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia
Öz
This article investigates how the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia deploy global sports investments as instruments of political economy and geopolitical strategy. Rather than framing these activities solely through the “sportswashing” lens, the study asks how and why Gulf states are influenced by one another’s sports policies, and to what extent these investments transform soft power into tangible diplomatic and economic leverage. Methodologically, the article employs a qualitative, comparative, and interpretive design, drawing on policy documents, media sources, and secondary literature to trace the evolution of Gulf sports strategies from 2008 to 2024. Using the BeIN Media case during the 2017–2021 Gulf Crisis as a focal point, it illustrates how sports assets can operate as hard-power tools in interstate disputes. The analysis situates Gulf sports investments within theoretical debates on soft power, nation branding, and the geopolitics of sport. The findings show that sports serve the Gulf monarchies not only as a means of global image management but also as mechanisms for economic diversification, regime legitimation, and regional competition. Theoretically, the study contributes to understanding how authoritarian states convert symbolic capital from sport into political power within a competitive regional order.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Soft Power and Sports Investments, Middle East Sports, GCC Investment, Gulf Sports, Gulf Sports Investment
Teşekkür
Kaynakça
- Abdi, K., Talebpour, M., Fullerton, J., Ranjkesh, M. J., & Nooghabi, H. J. (2019). Identifying Sports Diplomacy Resources as Soft Power Tools. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 15(3), 147–155.
- Abuamer, M., & Nassar, Y. (2023). The Rise of Gulf States’ Investments in Sports: Neither Soft Power nor Sportswashing? (POMEPS Studies 48; Politics of Sports in the Middle East, pp. 25–33). The Project on Middle East Political Science. https://pomeps.org/the-rise-of-gulf-states-investments-in-sports-neither-soft-power-nor-sportswashing
- Acar, N. (2021, March 15). Suudi Arabistan-BAE rekabeti ekonomik sahaya taşınıyor. Anadolu Agency. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/analiz/suudi-arabistan-bae-rekabeti-ekonomik-sahaya-tasiniyor/2176133
- Akkas, E. (2021, November 3). Gulf Countries Invade the Euro Football Pitch. Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. https://agsiw.org/gulf-countries-invade-the-euro-football-pitch/
- Al Jazeera. (2020, June 16). Explainer: The piracy case against Saudi’s beoutQ channel. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/6/16/explainer-the-piracy-case-against-saudis-beoutq-channel
- Al Naimi, S. M. (2022). Economic Diversification Trends in the Gulf: The Case of Saudi Arabia. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 2(1), 221–230.
- Amara, M. (2005). 2006 Qatar Asian Games: A ‘Modernization’ Project from Above? Sport in Society, 8(3), 493–514.
- Amara, M., & Akindes, G. (2024). Sports migration to Gulf Cooperation Council states: The intersection of economic growth and sport development. In J. Maguire, K. Liston, & M. Falcous (Eds.), Handbook on Sport and Migration (pp. 140–149). Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Amiri Diwan. (2017, February 14). HH The Amir Participates in Sports Day. https://www.diwan.gov.qa/en/briefing-room/news/activities-and-occasions/2017/february/14/hh-participates-in-sports-day
- Amnesty International UK. (2021, October 15). We hope fans, players and Newcastle United backroom staff will look seriously at the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-sportswashing-issues-unresolved-newcastle-prepare-first-game-after-saudi-takeover
