Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman attends a consultation on the “Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership” as a component of the G20 summit in New Delhi on September 9, 2023. (Photo via EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP) (Photo via EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP (Getty Images)
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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has played down allegations of sports laundering and called the deal between the PGA Tour, European Tour and LIV Golf a “game-changer for the golf industry. “
In an interview Wednesday with Fox News, bin Salman, deputy prime minister and de facto ruler of the Saudi kingdom, asked about Saudi Arabia’s current investments in sports, adding the possible deal that would create a new entity that would combine for-profit sports. assets of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, which are owned primarily through the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
“Well, if sports washing is going to increase my GDP by one percent, then I will continue to practice sports washing,” bin Salman said.
The PIF, Tour and European Tour announced the framework agreement in June and the potential agreement has already been examined by the U. S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which held two hearings on the agreement.
The Tour was already being investigated by the Justice Department for possible antitrust violations, and the potential final settlement would likely attract even more scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators.
“This is a turning point for the golf industry,” bin Salman said of the potential deal. “You might not have a festival and focus on developing the game, and that’s smart for players and enthusiasts who love golf. “
Bin Salman created Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 mission to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on oil by diversifying the economy. The draft also calls for a “vibrant society,” in which play is a central guiding principle of that goal, but critics say the government is cheating to mitigate abuses such as the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
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