Research project Exploring Acceptance and Resistance of Sportswashing in the Western Marketplace
Despite the growing popularity of the concept of “sportswashing”—where a country or company uses its association with sport to improve its reputation and distract attention from moral or human rights concerns—there is still limited knowledge about the potential consequences this may have for Western market actors.
The purpose of this project is to examine the relationship between sportswashing and the behavior and participation of Western market actors. The study is based on both qualitative and quantitative methods in order to analyze how this form of “washing” differs from other forms, how it is accepted in Western markets without significant consumer resistance, and how it can be practiced in a more ethical and sustainable way.