17/03/2022
NEWS STORY
At a time F1 is accused of being used for 'sport-washing' purposes, Stefano Domenicali insists that sport can shine a "spotlight" on human rights abuses.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, F1 was one of many sports quick to react in severing all known links to the invader including terminating the contract for the Grand Prix at Sochi.
However, many pointed out that whilst F1 was only too quick to act against Russia, like many other sports, it continued to enjoy a close relationship with various other nations with appalling records on human rights.
Only last week, 81 prisoners were publicly executed in one day in Saudi Arabia for various offences, while fellow F1 hosts, like China and Qatar, also have appalling human rights records.
Some have said sport is being used to promote a positive image for such regimes, essentially glossing over, or sport-washing, a claim F1 boss, Stefano Domenicali denies.
"When we hear this kind of news, it's quite alarming," he tells Sky Sports. "But I'm a true believer in the fact that sport has to make sure that human rights is at the centre of our agenda, together with the country where we are going.
"I think if I take a step back, what we saw last year, we saw a lot of women, a lot of young people attending the race," he continued, referring to the Jeddah event, "and enjoying for the first time that they've never had the chance to see live, is the right direction to take.
"The fact that we're going to be there, gives the intensity of the spotlight around a subject that maybe without us would have a different place in the news."