A European parliamentary petition against the Emirati sportswashing
Ninty European deputies signed a petition against the Emirati strategy of sportswashing its human rights violations.
The representatives addressed the International F1 Racing Department to warn of the dangers of helping Bahrain, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia whitewash human rights violations.
According to the European Microscope for Middle East Issues, the deputies sent a joint letter to FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem, expressing their concern over holding the Grand Prix races in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE before the opening race of the new F1 season in Manama.
The MPs’ letter accused Formula 1 of double standards and disregarding the charge of “sportswashing” to all Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are believed to be using sports to improve their distorted image abroad.
The letter indicated that Bahrain and the UAE are participating in a Saudi-led military coalition participating in an eight-year war in Yemen against the Iran-aligned Houthi group.
According to the United Nations, the war on Yemen had left the worst humanitarian crisis and the war crimes committed by the Saudi-Emirati coalition against civilians.
The signatories of the letter praised the FIA for cancelling the Russian Grand Prix after the invasion of Ukraine. Still, they asked it “to apply the same ethical standards in condemning abuses and supporting victims in all countries where Formula 1 races are held.”
“We are concerned that the FIA and Formula 1 are actively facilitating sports washing in the Gulf states. Their continued failure to foment violations of these regulations creates blatant double standards,” the letter read.
The representatives also touched on the brutal operation carried out by Saudi Arabia last week, executing 81 prisoners in the largest mass execution in the modern history of Saudi Arabia.
The deputies also raised the issue of the continued detention of opinion leaders and opponents in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE and the presence of prisoners at risk of execution in their prisons.
The letter said that the Formula 1 administration was not satisfied with being silent about the violations being practised but instead rewarded Saudi Arabia and Bahrain by concluding the most extended racing contract ever.
The representatives called on the race administration to set clear standards in cases of human rights violations, raise individual issues and declare solidarity and sympathy with the victims, just as it did with the victims of Russia’s violations.
The representatives stressed that the unique relations that bind Mohammed bin Sulayem with the rulers of the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain “should not prevent him from taking a public stand against the war in Yemen and human rights violations in those countries.”
The British MP in the Scottish Party, Branden O’Hara, sent the letter on behalf of 90 representatives from European countries who signed it.
The signatures included 49 British deputies, 24 deputies from Spain, others from Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and Ireland, and members of the European Parliament.
