25 Oct 2021

Saudi Newcastle takeover: shake-up or sportswashing?

Newcastle United’s Saudi Arabian backed takeover is being hailed by many fans in the city as a great moment the chance for the sleeping giant to finally reach the summit of the Premier League.

Newcastle United’s Saudi Arabian backed takeover is being hailed by many fans in the city as a great moment the chance for the sleeping giant to finally reach the summit of the Premier League.

But for critics and indeed other fans, this is the last straw. The moral bankruptcy of a billionaire business that was once a simple game at the heart of the community.

In today’s podcast, we hear from our chief correspondent, Alex Thompson, who as a Newcastle fan we have allowed to drop his normal impartiality to give his thoughts on his club’s new owners. And Kiran sits down with the author, Joshua Robinson, about how we got here. How a sport dominated by decaying grounds and violent fans in the 80s became a global phenomenon that has become the plaything of billionaires and autocrats, with accusations of sportswashing.

Sources: Sky Sport, BBC Sport, France 24

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