‘We’ll keep on sportswashing’: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince says he ‘doesn’t care’ about criticism of the Gulf kingdom’s investment in Newcastle and golf – as long as it grows their GDP [Video]

09:38 EDT 21 Sep 2023 , updated 12:40 EDT 21 Sep 2023

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has brushed off accusations of the Kingdom’s ‘sportswashing’ claiming that he ‘doesn’t care’ about the term. 

The nation has pursued a sports-centric growth agenda over the past five years as Saudi Arabia itself has played host to a wealth of events from boxing matches to football tournaments. 

The Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been at the centre of a number of high-profile sporting acquistions, taking over Newcastle in November 2021, and launching the lucrative and controversial LIV Golf series the following year – which later merged with PGA Tour and DP World Tour this June. 

Saudi Arabia’s movements in the industry have been seen by some as an attempt to burnish the country’s reputation and shift focus away from its human rights violations. 

But the crown prince – who also serves as his nation’s prime minister – was adamant …