sportswashing

American  

[spawrts-wosh-ing, -waw-shing] / ˈspɔrtsˌwɒʃ ɪŋ, -ˌwɔ ʃɪŋ /

noun

1. an instance or practice of rehabilitating the bad reputation of a person, company, nation, etc., or mitigating negative press coverage with a sports event, or an appeal to unify and reconcile groups in conflict by celebrating fans’ shared love of a game.

   The cost of sportswashing, from building stadiums to other infrastructure investments, has been worth it to a regime with such an indefensible human rights record.

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Etymology

Origin of sportswashing

First recorded in 2010–15; sportswash ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

As MBS and the Saudi sovereign fund moved into one new sphere after another, accusations of sportswashing, artwashing, greenwashing and so on have multiplied.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appeared to acknowledge that criticism in a recent interview, saying that if sportswashing boosts the country’s GDP by 1%, it is a strategy he will continue.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 12, 2026

Saudi Arabia has made a major push to be a big player in world soccer by signing some of the game’s biggest players amid allegations of sportswashing.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 11, 2023

Unlike other types of image laundering — environmental greenwashing, for instance — sportswashing taps into the deep emotional ties many fans have to their teams or sports.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2023

“This isn’t about censorship, about sportswashing, about creating that fuzzy world,” Platten said.

From Washington Times • Jun. 6, 2023