Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International and former UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, has issued a warning about the phenomenon of sports image laundering. In her book ‘A Researcher at the UN’, which will be available on April 9, Callamard analyzes how some countries use sport to cover up human rights violations and enhance their international reputation.
Sports image laundering, according to Callamard, is not a new phenomenon, but it has evolved significantly in the 21st century. Events such as the Berlin Olympics in 1936 or the World Cup in Argentina in 1978 had political purposes, but today, sport has also become a tool for massive enrichment.
SPORT AS SOFT POWER
Callamard points out that modern sport has become the soft power par excellence, a tool not only for political influence, but also for generating huge amounts of money. Unlike the sporting events of the 20th century, today’s events are designed to maximize economic benefits.
A prime example is the Qatar 2022 World Cup, where the host country spent US$220 billion, an unprecedented figure in the history of sporting events. Such investments, according to Callamard, reflect how sport has become a means of colossal enrichment, as well as a vehicle for enhancing the international image of the organizing countries.
ATHLETES AND HUMAN RIGHTS
In her analysis, Callamard stresses the importance of athletes’ involvement in the defense of human rights. According to Amnesty International’s Secretary General, if athletes remain aloof from these issues, sport risks losing its essence and soul.
Callamard’s message is clear: athletes have a crucial role to play in the fight against sportswashing and in the promotion of ethical values within sport. Their active participation can make a difference to the way sporting events are perceived and organized in the future.
A POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUE
Sports branding remains, at its core, a political issue, but in the 21st century it is also deeply tied to money. Callamard stresses that mass sporting events not only seek to project a positive image of host countries, but also to generate significant revenue for local and global economies.
This phenomenon raises important questions about ethics in sport and the responsibility of international sports organizations in choosing event venues. According to Callamard, it is essential that these decisions are made considering not only economic benefits, but also respect for human rights.
