Government ministers concerned about ‘sportwashing’ implications of PGA Tour and Saudi PIF deal

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has said that the huge amounts of money being invested in high-level sport leaves it vulnerable to allegations of sportswashing.
Reacting to the shock news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour have formed a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund (PIF) – which funds the Liv Golf tour – Mr Martin said he was concerned as a sports fan about the huge sums being put into sports including football and golf. Saudi Arabia’s PIF also owns Newcastle United football club.
[ Golf’s filthy lucre: the bottom line of the deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF in dollars ]
“I think sport in general, and sporting organisations in general, should be wary of the enormous amounts of funds and money that’s going into sports at this level, which leaves it vulnerable to the allegation …

Read more…….