An Argentina supporter takes photos in Doha ahead of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup football tournament. Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images MER Article Simply Sportswashing?—A Perspective on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar The concept of “sportswashing,” in exposing how states or corporations use sporting events to cleanse their images on international stages, draws our attention to human rights abuses, labor conditions, political repression and the regulation of social behavior. Yet, examining the language around Qat Jamal Abu Eisheh, Ali Alsayegh, Samuel Munayer, Rami Rmeileh, Zachariah Zahid • 10 min read