Editorial: El País

• Dictatorships aim to improve their image, a phenomenon on the rise with the economic power of petrodollars in international sports.
• Saudi Arabia has been using 'sportswashing', investing billions of dollars in sports agreements to launder its image.
• Prince Mohamed Bin Salman leads this effort to diversify the Saudi economy and develop the country, using the significant Saudi sovereign fund.
• Despite some strides, Saudi Arabia still has a poor human rights record, with a high number of executions and repression of minorities.
• FIFA has been backing Saudi Arabia, despite their human rights record.
• Sport should protect human rights and not be used as a vehicle to launder the image of authoritarian regimes.

Conclusion: It is crucial that sports governing entities take responsibility, protect human rights, and not permit the political manipulation of sports by authoritarian regimes, regardless of the financial benefits these might offer.

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