Middle Eastern Investors Purchase a Stake In the Washington Capitals

The Qatar Investment Authority has bought a minority stake in Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which is the parent company of the NHL's Washington Capitals and the NBA's Washington Wizards, according to Sportico.

This is following a pattern done by Middle Eastern governments seeking to increase their influence in the sporting world.

The Golf world was turned upside down when LIV Golf was announced. Liv Golf was backed by the Saudi Monarchy, using it's investment fund.

English Premier League club Newcastle is also owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, and has received criticism for "Sportswashing".

Sportswashing is defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as, "the use of an athletic event by an individual or a government, a corporation, or another group to promote or burnish the individual's or group's reputation, especially amid controversy or scandal."

Both the Saudi and the Qatar governments have major human rights issues, and have been widely criticized for their policies against ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ people.

It is widely accepted that these oppressive regimes have been buying and hosting sporting events to promote and polish their reputation across the globe.

The Qatar FIFA World Cup came under major scrutiny for its treatment of migrant workers during the building of World Cup stadiums.

According to The Guardian, over 6,500 workers died in preparation for the World Cup.

The Qatari government denies these figures.

It remains to be seen if there will be more North American sports team who follow the money to Middle Eastern Investment Funds.