F1 boss claims shutting off Qatar and Saudi Arabia will not help human rights

Stefano Domenicali (left) with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen
Getty Images
Marco Giacomelli17 November 2021

The head of Formula One has defended the sport’s new grands prix in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, arguing that “shutting out” countries that have been criticised over their human rights records is not the answer.

Qatar stages its first grand prix on Sunday with Saudi Arabia hosting its maiden race two weeks later.

Stefano Domenicali, the chief executive of the Formula One group, claims that taking F1 to these countries can help improve human rights there.

The Italian told the BBC: "Such an important change cannot happen overnight. It is a cultural change that will take time.

"But the timing will be accelerated by the fact big events are there. And Formula 1 will play an important role in that respect."

Domenicali said the contracts contain guarantees that the countries must respect human rights in all aspects of their association with F1. If those agreements are broken, Domenicali said F1 can terminate the deals.

He said: "If you look pragmatically at what they are doing, in terms of for example women, they have women in prominent positions in the organisation, they are working and respecting the regulations.

"I believe the spotlight we are bringing will be beneficial for the will and the wishes of change that these countries are showing.

"I don’t believe that shutting countries off and saying we don’t want to be there will help the situation to improve. Actually, it will be the opposite.

"It doesn’t mean everything is perfect, but for sure what we are doing and what we are signing off is headed in the right direction."

In a statement to the BBC, Amnesty International said: "Rich countries in the Middle East have long seen elite sport as a means to rebrand and ‘sportswash’ their images, and the grand prix races in Qatar and Saudi Arabia fit into this mould.

"Both of these countries have extremely troubling human rights records - from Qatar’s systemic mistreatment of migrant workers and its draconian curbs on free speech, to Saudi Arabia’s sweeping crackdown on human rights activists and the notorious murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"In using the glamour and razzmatazz of F1 to try to distract attention from human rights abuses, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will hope there’s little to no discussion of human rights issues around these races - something that must not be allowed to happen.

"F1, the drivers and their teams should be prepared to speak out about human rights in Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the lead-up to the races, doing their bit to break the spell of sportwashing and its intended image-management.

"In particular, F1 should ensure that all contracts for these races contain stringent labour standards across all related supply chains and infrastructure development projects, and its spokespeople – from Stefano Domenicali down - should use their influence to push for human rights improvements in both countries."

The Saudi Arabia grand prix is being held at a new circuit in Jeddah, which is still to be finished just two and a half weeks before the December 5 race.

F1 sporting director Steve Nielsen is confident it will be ready despite admitting organisers are “up against it.”

He told Autopsort: "It’s an ambitious project, it will be a great facility.

"They’re up against it, they are. But they’re literally working 24/7 as they have been for quite a long time now. I saw some more photos this morning, and they’ve made huge progress. But still a lot to do.

"So it really is going to be down to the wire. But they’ll get it done. Everything we need to put the race on safely we’ll have, I’m confident of that."

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