Spanish tennis famous person Rafael Nadal introduced a partnership with the Saudi tennis physique on Monday, marking one other victory for the dominion in its bid to turn into a serious participant within the sport.
Nadal is now an ‘ambassador of the Federation’. Beneath the partnership, he’ll assist develop an academy in Saudi Arabia, the official Saudi Press Company reported.
In a submit on X, Nadal mentioned he just lately visited Saudi Arabia and was impressed by younger tennis athletes there.
“For me, the objective is to advertise tennis all through the nation,” Nadal mentioned in a video he posted on the platform.
The video additionally featured Yara al-Hogbani, Saudi Arabia’s finest feminine participant. She mentioned assembly Nadal “felt surreal not only for me. [but] for all of the younger kids within the kingdom.”
Feedback: Nadal’s transfer was criticized by some tennis followers on social media for collaborating with Saudi Arabia, given the dominion’s human rights file. One person referred to as the dominion a “horrible regime” and lamented Nadal’s new partnership.
Saudi Arabia is a horrible regime that abuses human rights in among the worst methods conceivable (Google it should you’re not aware of it). They’ve invested some huge cash within the sport to revive their picture. I am certain Rafa has good intentions, however this is not nice. https://t.co/pRvUAJ3cuk
— Owen (@tennisnation) January 15, 2024
Saudi Arabia is commonly accused of ‘sportswashing’ its worldwide picture by investing in main sports activities, with the concept that investing cash in fashionable sports activities will distract from the dominion’s poor human rights file.
“Rafa Nadal’s new function is simply the newest chapter in Saudi Arabia’s ruthless sportswashing operation,” Peter Frankental, director of financial affairs at Amnesty Worldwide UK, instructed The Telegraph on Tuesday. “The Saudi authorities have spent billions on their efforts to rename the nation. a sporting superpower and distract from a horrible human rights file.”
Different tennis followers on social media accused Nadal, who has gained greater than $130 million in prize cash throughout his profession, of promoting to Saudi Arabia for cash.
Many Rafa followers appear shocked and saddened that Nadal has been paid an enormous wage to turn into Saudi Arabia’s tennis ambassador.
I believe it’s kind of harsh. Do not these followers understand how costly it’s to maintain his £6m custom-built superyacht with spa tub afloat? https://t.co/8JoZxNBrwR
— Pavvy G (@pavyg) January 16, 2024
A few of Nadal’s fellow tennis gamers have been extra supportive. When requested on Wednesday about Nadal’s transfer, former world #1 Caroline Wozniacki mentioned Saudi funding within the sport is “inevitable”.
“It is clear, Saudi Arabia [Arabia] enters the game in a really robust approach. I take into consideration golf in addition to soccer and now additionally tennis,” Wozniacki mentioned after her Australian Open loss, in line with Agence France-Presse. “I believe it is inevitable that that is going to occur, and I believe if that occurs, I believe we have now a chance to make a change and do one thing good there.”
Why it issues: Saudi Arabia is searching for larger involvement in skilled tennis for each women and men as a part of its sporting push. Final week, Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur unveiled a collaboration with Saudi health model Kayanee. In December 2023, Saudi Arabia hosted the Subsequent Gen Finals match for younger male gamers and can proceed to host it by means of 2027.
Saudi funding funds are additionally reportedly all for buying the Miami Open and Madrid Open tournaments, and the Ladies’s Tennis Affiliation is contemplating holding its year-end match in Riyadh.
Saudi entities are investing in quite a lot of sports activities, together with golf, soccer and combined martial arts along with tennis, as a part of a diversification drive to cut back dependence on oil.
The tennis neighborhood is combined on the prospect of larger Saudi involvement. Jabeur has expressed his help, saying “I am 100% there” final July when requested about Saudi funding within the sport.
Different huge names from the skilled tennis world are towards it. In a letter to the WTA management printed by Sports activities Illustrated on Tuesday, retired champions Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert denounced the prospect of Saudi Arabia internet hosting WTA occasions.
“Not solely is that this a rustic the place girls usually are not seen as equal, it’s a nation that criminalizes the LGBTQ neighborhood. A rustic whose long-term achievements in human rights and basic freedoms have been a matter of worldwide concern for many years,” the pair wrote.
Identical-sex relationships are prohibited below Saudi legislation, though these legal guidelines usually are not at all times enforced and the dominion has just lately taken steps to welcome LGBTQ vacationers.
The ladies’s rights scenario in Saudi Arabia has improved considerably lately. In 2018, girls lastly gained the suitable to drive, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman curbed the ability of the non secular police, permitting girls to indicate their hair in public.
Nevertheless, some restrictions stay for girls. For instance, below Saudi Arabia’s private standing legislation, solely males have the suitable to unconditional divorce, in line with Amnesty Worldwide.
