Amnesty International have claimed Man Utd fans should be concerned that their club may become part of a wider programme of Qatari sports-washing.
Sources close to the bid understand that Sheikh Jassim is bidding alone as a private individual. There is said to be no direct or indirect support from the Qatari state or the country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority.
The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust issued a statement on Sunday airing concerns around multi-club ownership – given Qatar Sports Investments’ control of Paris St Germain – and around human rights, with Amnesty describing the takeover battle at United as an “urgent reminder” of the need for the Premier League to tighten ownership rules.
“Fan groups are right to be concerned that a Qatari buyout of Manchester United is likely to be part of a wider programme of Qatari sportswashing, where the glamour of football is used to refashion the country’s image regardless of serious and systematic human rights abuses,” Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK’s economic affairs director, said.
“The Qatar World Cup has come and gone, yet we’re still waiting for reforms to improve the lives of exploited migrant workers in Qatar as well as a worker compensation fund – while disgraceful anti-LGBTQ+ laws remain in force, and freedom of speech and women’s rights are still unacceptably curtailed.
“Ever since the Newcastle United takeover we’ve been warning that the door is still wide open for state-linked purchasers to buy their way into the Premier League without the need to meet the necessary ethical standards.
“The drama at Old Trafford is another urgent reminder that the Premier League needs to overhaul its ownership rules to ensure they’re human rights-compliant.”
The Rainbow Devils LGBTQ+ supporters’ group said it had “deep concerns” regarding some of the bidders, hours before Sheikh Jassim’s interest was confirmed. Same-sex relationships are criminalised under Qatari law.
On Sunday, MUST said it shared those concerns, and also wanted clarity over what it described as the “exceptionally close links” between the Qatar bid and PSG on the one hand, and the bid by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Nice on the other.
UEFA rules bar clubs from entering its competitions if owners are felt to have decisive…
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