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Washington Post op-ed: Even our favorite team has a human rights sportwashing problem

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Op-Ed / / 02.27.26 Note: This op-ed was originally published in Washington Post and was authored by John Prendergast, Co-Founder of The Sentry, and Geoffrey Mills. As lifelong friends from opposite sides of the Atlantic, we’re united by our devotion to Arsenal: our favorite soccer club in the English Premier League. As it is for many other Arsenal fans around the world, rooting for the team is our...
The strongest version of this narrative is that sports sponsorships can serve as a tool for authoritarian regimes to launder their reputations, and fan activism can be an effective counterforce. The authors credibly link Arsenal’s sponsorships to human rights abuses in Sudan and the DRC, while acknowledging Rwanda’s post-genocide economic recovery as a complicating factor. The piece effectively highlights the tension between commercial interests and ethical responsibility in global sports. Patte...