Sportswashing in football has been a subject that has become a taboo subject when football managers are quizzed about it in recent weeks. Many have refused to condemn or answer the questions put forward about human rights abuses
Football especially in England has had an injection of money from countries like Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi over the years
Saudi money has spread across all different sports and in football Newcastle are owned by the Saudi State.
It was reported there were 81 people executed on Saturday in the largest known mass execution carried out in the kingdom in its modern history.
Questions are starting to be asked and put forward to other managers of other clubs like Newcastle and Chelsea
One of those this week was Newcastle manager Eddie Howe after the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea
Howe was asked about the 81 people, who were executed by the the Newcastle owners
When asked about Mohammed bin Salman role, the Newcastle owner's role in the killings, Howe said
“I don’t know how to answer that. I’m going to talk football”
Followed up Qs to Eddie Howe about 81 people being executed in 1 day in Saudi, asking the Newcastle manager if he can understand why he’s asked when Mohammed bin Salman is his ultimate boss: “I don’t know what to answer to that. I’m going to talk football” pic.twitter.com/mTZRTPm424
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) March 13, 2022
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel was asked about the situation at Chelsea in regards to Roman Abramovich's links to Vladimir Putin this past month and snapped at reporters
"Listen, listen, listen – you have to stop. I am not a politician. You have to stop.
“Honestly. I can only repeat it. And I even feel bad to repeat it because I never experienced war.
“So even to talk about it I feel bad, because I am very privileged.
I sit here in peace and I do the best I can, but you have to stop asking me these questions. I have no answers for you.”
Speaking on Monday Night Football Gary Neville feels this is only the beginning of the tricky questions for managers and that Manchester City will soon receive similar heat for being the face of the club
“Thomas Tuchel has done it well and Eddie Howe is going to have to do that."
“If you’re a football manager now, you’re going to have to stand up and answer those questions. One thing is for certain – the journalists have to ask them.
“It’s going to come to Manchester City’s people soon. Pep Guardiola is going to start getting asked these questions because it isn’t going away.
“If in the next year or two, a regulator is brought in and it’s found that you can’t have state money in football in this country, they’re going to have to potentially look back on what’s happened in the last 15-20 years because there’s already state money in this country, and that’s something that’s going to have to be looked at very closely because it’s going to set a massive precedent with what they do with Russia.”
The 12 minute clip went viral last night and can be viewed here
