Saudi Arabia: Allegations of human rights abuses cloud its sporting ambitions 4:31
(CNN) -
Lewis Hamilton has said he is not comfortable racing in Saudi Arabia ahead of the penultimate race of the Formula 1 season, which will be held in Jeddah on Sunday.
"Am I comfortable here? I wouldn't say I'm comfortable," Lewis Hamilton told reporters Thursday.
"But this was not my choice. Our sport has chosen to be here and whether it is fair or not, I think that while we are here, it is still important to do some work to raise awareness."
It is the first time that F1 has organized a race in Saudi Arabia.
The grand prix, to be held in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, will be the fastest street track in F1 history, according to the event's website.
But Saudi Arabia's human rights record has been repeatedly criticized, and activists have accused the kingdom of "sports facelift," a phenomenon whereby corrupt or autocratic regimes invest in sporting events to cover up their international reputations. .
advertising
F1: Hamilton, getting closer to Verstappen 3:57
During the November Qatar Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton wore a helmet with the Pride Progress Flag, a redesigned and more inclusive version of the traditional rainbow flag, and emblazoned with the words "We Stand Together."
Lewis Hamilton will wear the helmet this weekend in Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is illegal.
"A lot of changes are needed and our sport needs to do more," added Hamilton.
Earlier this year, the human rights group Grant Liberty estimated that Saudi Arabia has spent around $ 1.5 billion on
sportswashing
(which could be understood as a face-lift through sport) since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched his Vision 2030 master plan, which aims to reduce the country's dependence on oil exports.
The country has spent millions to host a host of prestigious sporting events, including golf, horse racing, billiards, and chess tournaments, according to Grant Liberty report from 2021.
Already known violations
Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Saudi Arabia of using this weekend's grand prize to "distract from widespread human rights violations" in the country.
"If they do not voice their concerns about the serious abuses committed by Saudi Arabia, Formula 1 and performers risk supporting the Saudi government's costly efforts to whitewash their image despite the significant increase in repression throughout. over the years, "Michael Page, HRW's deputy director for the Middle East, said in a statement.
"If the authorities want to be seen differently, they should immediately and unconditionally release all those who have been imprisoned for peacefully expressing their views, lifting travel bans and imposing a moratorium on the death penalty," he added Amnesty International in a statement.
Earlier this year, F1's global director of racing promotion Chloe Targett-Adams told CNN that the sport could be a "catalyst for change."
When asked by CNN how he would respond to F1 coming to the Middle East in light of concerns about human rights and the treatment of women, he said: "We are committed to this early in the process because it is important to us. that we know that we can work in accordance with our values.
"We have strong guarantees in our contracts that we have with our hosts and with our career destinations upholding those values and principles, and it is a catalyst for change."
CNN has reached out to the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation for comment.
A Formula 1 spokesperson told CNN that the organization had worked hard to be "a positive force in all places where it competes, including the economic, social and cultural benefits."
"We take our rights responsibilities very seriously and set high ethical standards for counterparties and those in our supply chain, which are enshrined in contracts, and we pay close attention to their enforcement," the spokesperson added.
In a September interview with CNN's Amanda Davies, Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Faisal, president of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), said he is not concerned that politics could overshadow the country's inaugural F1 event.
"Formula 1 is smart enough to know what is good for them and their reputation, and if they felt that Saudi Arabia is one of those countries, they would never have agreed to come," he said.
"We want people to come to Saudi Arabia and then see [with] their own eyes and then they can have their opinion. I respect someone's opinion, but I need to know what it is based on and what is the motivation," he added.
"Saudi Arabia changed a lot for the positive. And hopefully, we will also continue to develop and open up and change our country to what is best for our people living in Saudi Arabia," he said.
Amanda Davies and Sana Noor Haq contributed reporting.
