Dylan Bettencourt
A football kit can represent so much more than just the colours of a team. In the case of Newcastle United, a leaked image of their kit for next season has added to the controversy of their recent takeover by Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Newcastle United wearing the colours of Saudi Arabia next season would be “clear evidence” of sports washing, Amnesty International claims.
The English side were bought by the PIF in a controversial decision, given the country’s poor human rights record.
Although the side will still wear their traditional black and white strip as their home kit, their away kit is in white and green, similar to that of the Saudi Arabian national football team.
Questions over the takeover came from several human rights organisations and despite the Premier League maintaining that Saudi Arabia would not control Newcastle United, Amnesty International suggests otherwise.
“If it is true that Newcastle United is changing its away kit to match Saudi Arabia’s national colours. It exposes the power of the Saudi dollar and the kingdom’s determination to sportswash its brutal, blood-soaked human rights record,” said Felix Jakens, Amnesty International UK’s head of campaigns.
“Despite all their assurances of a separation between the Saudi owners and the club this seems like clear evidence of the regime using Newcastle to portray a positive image.”
Newcastle United have not commented on the potential links with their away kit to the colours of Saudi Arabia.
With homosexuality still illegal and the death penalty still in effect in Saudi Arabia, concerns of the Newcastle United takeover remain rife.
Fans of the club however are overjoyed with the takeover as they now have the richest owners in world football as well as avoiding a potential relegation scrap in the Premier League.
Newcastle United looked certain to go down in the league going into December but a good run of form since the January transfer market has the club in 14th spot.
Image source: @TheGuardian
