By Kaviesh Kinger
Diplomacy is a key practice in international affairs, helping states facilitate closer relationships, address tensions and advance cooperation. An overlooked example of diplomacy is its application in sports and how the two can intersect. Sports diplomacy’s most famous illustration is the Olympic Games. Essential to the understanding of sports diplomacy is a bridging of cultural divides under a common banner, for example, the co-operation between North and South Korea around the 2018 Olympics. Sports give nations a location with a third-party organisation host (such as FIFA, Olympics), creating the perfect opportunity for discussion. Unbiased third parties allow for a non-threatening environment to facilitate talks. In the midst of the Cold War, China and the US were able to reignite conversation through ‘ping-pong diplomacy’. The US Department of State even has a Sports Diplomacy division clearly displaying its recognition of the importance of sports in the arena of international relations. Undoubtedly, the political dimension of sports is emphasised by the Qatar World Cup, which is the first time a World Cup has been held in the Middle East. The decision to award the World Cup to Qatar provoked widespread outrage across the Western world but the US has instead taken this opportunity to advance their relationship with Qatar with Blinken’s attendance at the World Cup. As this article will examine, this example of sports diplomacy offers significant benefits to the United States, displaying US priorities and attempts to expand influence. It may be that this can indicate an American attempt to grapple with an uncertain world through creating a stable base with Qatar.
When the White House hosted the Emir of Qatar and labelled Qatar as a ‘major non-NATO ally’ it was clear that Qatar was going to be an important Middle Eastern partner for the US. Being the first Gulf leader visiting the White House under the Biden Administration, this position comes with a certain level of clout for Qatar, which could allow them to command more soft power than previously held. A regional spokesperson for the US State Department Samuel Warberg outlined this as Qatar joining a ‘privileged class of partners’. By deeming Qatar as a major ally, the US can leverage the prestige that comes with American partnership to exert influence over Qatar on a larger level.
Contextually Qatar has geographical proximity to Iran, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E and Kuwait making it an important state for the US to be able to rely on for future regional mediation. This has become increasingly significant in recent years with the Afghanistan crisis and the general uncertainty of the US’s relationship with other Middle Eastern nations. The fact sheet released by the Department of State prior to Blinken’s travel for the World Cup applauded Qatar opening flights to Tel Aviv. This can highlight the aims of the US to promote normalised relations between Israel and the wider Middle East . The role Qatar played in the US evacuation from Afghanistan was also recognized in this fact sheet, therefore displaying both the diplomatic and humanitarian benefits Qatar provides to the US..
Moreover, America and Qatar have a strong economic relationship with extensive investment from both sides. The Qatar Investment Authority has invested more than 30 billion USD in the United States while American involvement in oil and gas has contributed largely to Qatari economic expansion. Considering the evident significance of this economic relationship, this World Cup offers an opportunity to strengthen ties between two states that have supported each other. Thus, Qatar offers the US stability in terms of navigating future regional conflict and financially through continuous mutual investment. In addition, this source of support becomes more important when considering the impact on energy from American sanctions on Russia.
Considering the disruption to oil and gas supplies in Europe, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Qatar offers the US an opportunity for stability. Qatar supported the American isolation of Russia explicitly and thus this diplomatic meeting could serve as the basis for future energy collaboration. Since Qatar is no longer a member of OPEC, it can make independent decisions: Qatar has been able to focus more on gas as a result. Plus, Qatar as an individual entity can more easily work with the US, which currently has a pressured relationship with OPEC. Qatar is one of the largest natural gas producers and can help alleviate the issues markets are facing related to energy since the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. The Emir of Qatar has outlined his intentions of being at the forefront of creating this energy security considering this instability. Cinzia Bianco, a fellow at the European Council, recognizes that Blinken attending the World Cup can be understood as the US acknowledging the effort Qatar is making, strengthening US-Qatar relations. This meeting at the World Cup is a signal that the US is still attempting to garner as much influence as it can.
Framing US-Qatar relations in this way, it is evident that the US has strategic benefits it can unlock through collaboration with Qatar. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended the World Cup in Qatar for the first US match on November 21st. This attendance alone signals the bridging of cultural divides central to sports diplomacy. But this should be understood as a pragmatic move rather than a utopian one of international collaboration. Shortly after this, Blinken and the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar signed a Letter of Intent after the Fifth Annual Strategic Dialogue which took place on November 22nd. This letter of intent outlined future efforts on the part of the Qatari and United States’ governments to make the World Cup more accessible for those with disabilities. While it covers issues of disabled access, it also promises to increase knowledge exchanges to combat human trafficking and advance fair recruitment and labour protection for migrant workers. Considering the outrage against human rights violations towards migrant workers in Qatar, the US’ involvement in this Letter allows them to position themselves as a supporter of human rights. However, rather than portraying Qatar as a passive recipient, it is important to recognize that they may also be actively engaging in sports diplomacy to command a higher level of international status and credibility that comes from both a World Cup and dialogue with the US.
As such, while Blinken’s gestures of supporting disabled and workers’ rights in Qatar may be applauded in themselves, they should also be understood in the context of ameliorating the soft power of the US. While many have termed Qatar hosting the World Cup as sports-washing, the efforts by the United States could be termed ‘human rights-washing’. Rather than a genuine interest in the livelihood of vulnerable individuals (since there was no direct discussion of LGBT rights or those killed in the preparation for the World Cup) it appears that the future of US-Qatar relations is far more geopolitically strategic in intent.
Siobhan Heekin-Canedy writes that sports diplomacy helps ‘states refocus energy on soft power initiatives’. Blinken’s visit to Qatar and the subsequent dialogue that took place can be understood as just that. It seems that the US is expanding its influence in the Middle East to stabilise its position in terms of energy and regional uncertainties in the Gulf while offering only the prestige of a US alliance in return.
Kaviesh is an undergraduate Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His passion for writing and journalism comes from his work in youth education and awareness in a nonpartisan manner with non-profits and international student committees.
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