Saudi Arabia offers itself a new competition. Tuesday, February 4, the first Saudi Tour in the country's history will start from Riyadh, where 126 riders will compete for the first victory of this cycling tour. Another sporting and media event which has two objectives: to develop local sport and to restore the reputation of the kingdom on the international scene, notably undermined by the murder of Khashoggi and the human rights situation.
To stand out in the peloton of nations, Saudi Arabia imposes a frantic tempo. In January 2020 alone, the Wahhabi kingdom hosted the Dakar rally, the Spanish Super Cup and the Saudi International golf tournament which is part of the European professional circuit. Before that, the Saudis had already offered themselves at great cost the organization of the Italian Football Super Cup or the "boxing match of the year" between the heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz. In 2018, the largest American wrestling federation, WWE, signed a ten-year partnership with Saudi Arabia.
Buy an image internationally
Between these local investments and the purchase at great prices of very media international competitions, "Saudi Arabia buys itself at low cost a more positive reputation", affirms Carole Gomez, researcher at Iris and specialist in impact sport in international relations, joined by France 24.
Its image has indeed been damaged in recent years by the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the kidnapping of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri or even the role played by the kingdom in the war in Yemen.
The relocation of events in this region of the world is not without controversy, especially because of the sporting nonsense that it constitutes but also because of the human rights situation.
"There are two opposing positions: the first is that sport is in the process of globalization and decentralization and that there is a desire to make sport an international object that is looked at everywhere but also played everywhere. The second, is that this logic does not make sense because there is a significant environmental impact in making travel so sportsmen and supporters. It is also bad for the health of the sportsmen to play in countries with difficult climatic conditions, like have proven the recent discomforts at the world athletics championship in Qatar ", decrypts Carole Gomez.
"It is the market that prevails over sporting considerations. The financial windfall of the Gulf countries interests organizers looking for juicy markets, to the detriment of respect for human rights", adds Raphaël Le Magoariec, doctoral student specialist in the geopolitics of sport in the Persian Gulf countries in the Arab World and Mediterranean laboratory (EMAM) at the University of Tours, interviewed by France 24.
A boycott complicated to organize
"The human rights situation in Arabia is dire. It is one of the countries with the highest death penalty, 184 executions in 2019. It is also a country distinguished by the imprisonment of opponents and human rights activists, as recalled by the cases of Raif Badawi and Loujain al-Hathloul ", underlines Samuel Hanryon, member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), interviewed by France 24." We could also mention violations by Saudi Arabia abroad, particularly in Yemen where the Saudis are accused of war crimes. "
During the Dakar rally, FIDH mobilized alongside other associations to try to raise awareness among the participants and request a symbolic protest. In vain.
"It is complicated for athletes to respond to our requests. They have constraints linked to the sports organizations which employ them and to their sponsors. We are more in the days of Jesse Owens and Mohamed Ali", laments Samuel Hanryon.
"The answer is often that it is not up to them to take a stand because they are there to play sports and not politics. Only, by going to these competitions, they do it because they participate in spite of themselves Saudis' sportwashing policy, "said the human rights defender. "Another defense is that they contribute to the opening of the Saudi regime. However, here too, it is to take up the Saudi narrative. However, this is far from being followed by acts in the matter. "
Because as far as cycling is concerned, Saudi Arabia remains a minor country, with 1% of its population practicing it.
We must therefore see this competition as a means for the Saudi state to promote its Vision 2030 plan which aims to get it out of its oil rent pic.twitter.com/flwexboiWK
Massive investments that also meet local demand
Considerations far from curbing the Saudi appetite for sport. Because these media blows, which are part of the "Vision 2030" reform plan launched in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are also intended to prepare the country for the post-oil era by diversifying the economy and attracting Investors.
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"With these investments, Saudi Arabia has a triple objective: to diversify its economy which still relies today mainly on hydrocarbons, to use soft power to shine on the international scene and to assert itself on a subject which has been seized by neighbors and rivals of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates ", details Carole Gomez, The development of sport in the kingdom also responds to social demands: the monarchy hopes to meet the expectations of its young population - 70% of the 34 million Saudis have less 30 years old - frustrated by the archaism of their country.
"Power sees sport as a vector of political stability", explains Raphaël Le Magoariec. "The Saudi population is young and very much in demand for openness and occupation. These competitions provide entertainment for this youth."
The academic highlights the popular success of these competitions. While those taking place in neighboring countries are often mocked because of the emptiness of the stadiums, the matches organized in Saudi Arabia are often sold out.
"We can establish a fairly simple typology in organized competitions. On the one hand, football, boxing or American wrestling events which are rather intended for the Saudis. On the other hand, the Dakar and the cycle race which are of little interest the locals, but they enhance the local heritage and develop tourism. Indeed, nothing like a bicycle race or a Dakar rally to transform Saudi Arabia into a postcard ", notes Raphaël Le Magoariec.
Spreading values through sport
In the past, Saudi Arabia has never shone in sports competitions. The kingdom has only won three Olympic medals in eleven appearances. However, the new generation of Saudi decision makers embodied by Mohammed ben Salmane would like to turn the tide.
"It is in line with the Vision 2030 plan. The idea is also to disseminate through sport values such as surpassing oneself. Values that coordinate with economic development and societal changes", analyzes Raphaël Le Magoariec .
For this specialist in the geopolitics of sport in the countries of the Persian Gulf, massive investments aim to structure the practice of sport in the kingdom as well as training so that Saudi athletes can become competitive. To bring a new breath, the State has notably released a fund of several hundred million euros to improve the competitiveness of the football championship. The country plans to build four new football stadiums for the country's four main clubs: Al Hilal (Riyadh), Al Nasr (Riyadh), Al Ittihad (Jeddah) and Al Ahli (Jeddah). Enclosures which should have a capacity of around 40,000 spectators and meet international standards.
After the cycling tour, it is a horse race which will take place in the monarchy on February 29. And persistent rumors say Mohammed bin Salman is strongly interested in buying an English club and has already made offers for Manchester United and Newcastle. Finally, the kingdom is negotiating for the organization of a Formula 1 race after the success of the Formula E race in late 2019.
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