Sebastian Bossoa, a researcher in Middle East affairs, European-Arab relations, terrorism and extremism for the Marian French magazine, considered Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosting races such as Formula-1 to whitewash his image and cover up his political crises.
Bossoa touched on the Saudi strategy behind hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix from the third to the fifth of next December.
He said that the series of global events and competitions that Saudi Arabia receives year after year has a deep symbolism for the Crown Prince.
Bossoa added that after several years of political stagnation at the international level, bin Salman, embroiled in frequent political and regional crises, seeks to polish the kingdom’s image.
He noted that bin Salman seeks to make the kingdom an attractive country for the West, enthusiastic about sports competitions and cultural events.
He pointed out that bin Salman seeks to lure the world by presenting an attractive image to pass his plan, and from now on, Formula 1 will be his new tool.
Bossoa stated that after the Saudis failed to buy Newcastle United, Riyadh wanted to buy a French club last year, Olympique Marseille, but to no avail.
However, this did not have much effect; Mohammed bin Salman is following a long-term strategy, where he has to restore an image and work to achieve his goals step by step to avoid failure.
In geopolitics, this comprehensive strategy for investing in soft power is called an art cover-up.
This strategy means that the state engages in culture and sports to disguise its political agenda by enhancing its “soft power” through sports.
According to the site, the sums of money to gain an image and a place in the global cultural scene are often fictitious, but they do not change anything.
Saudi Arabia’s failure to buy Newcastle is evidence that some sporting leaders hinder Saudi Arabia’s sprawling strategy.
The writer attributed the only certainty at the moment is the caution of investors and customers alike about the idea of getting involved in suspicious cases.