2023-09-21 14:33:07
Scenes of popular jubilation and fans in tears in the streets of Tehran for a match behind closed doors… The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in Iran, with his Saudi club Al Nassr, unleashed passions as much as it served as a ” global communications plan” to signify “an appeasement between the two Persian Gulf rivals,” explains Kévin Veyssière, founder of the media FC Geopolitics. In 2016, predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran severed diplomatic relations after Riyadh’s execution of an influential Shiite cleric. By authorizing the organization of an Asian Champions League match against a Saudi club, the mullahs’ regime marks “the reduction in tensions that began since the spring”.
“In his contract with Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo has the role of ambassador of the country”, specifies Kévin Veyssière, in particular to “promote tourism there”. “Saudi Arabia has a very marked image in terms of violation of Human Rights, in particular through its involvement in the war in Yemen and in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi”, which is why the signature of the star football, earned him accusations of “sportwashing”, he explains. That is to say, it makes it possible to “wash the image of the country thanks to the instrumentalization of sport”. “At least football allows us to focus on these different issues,” adds the specialist, “and why not change mentalities” by forcing Saudi Arabia to change its laws.
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