How a Major Figure Skating Event Ended Up in Abu Dhabi (And Why We Should Be Worried)
The True Cost of Growing the Sport
JGP Abu Dhabi marked the first time a major International Skating Union (ISU) event was held in the Middle East. The event raises serious questions. How did an event dedicated to a winter sport end up in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and how does it expose the true cost of “growing the sport”?
The Junior Grand Prix landed in the UAE due to a perfect, problematic alignment of the ISU’s expansion strategy, the UAE’s strategic use of “sportswashing,” and its desire to become a world-class host for a niche sport.
Here are three factors that put the JGP in Abu Dhabi, and why we need to be talking about them.
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“Sportswashing” and the Soft Power of the UAE
Let’s start with an unsettling truth, the underlying motivation of the UAE.
It may be sportswashing.
Sportswashing is the act of a government using sports, such as sponsoring a sports team or event, to improve its global image and distract from a history of wrongdoing. It’s a soft power tactic frequently employed by governments with poor human rights records.1
Gulf countries have been playing this game over the last decade. We saw it with Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the acquisition of Newcastle United Football Club by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium. The UAE is no different. They’ve been aggressively investing in global sports, buying stakes in football giants like Manchester City and hosting major sports tournaments.
This multi-billion dollar public relations campaign is necessary because of the UAE’s human rights record, which includes severe restrictions on free expression, the systemic exploitation of migrant workers, and the criminalization of LGBTQ+ relations. In 2024, the UAE unjustly convicted and sentenced at least 44 people in the second largest unfair mass trial, according to Human Rights Watch.2
While the UAE isn’t the only country using sports as soft power (one could argue the United States, with its own human rights issues, engages in a form of sportswashing), the severity of the human rights abuses makes the ISU’s collaboration deeply concerning.
The ISU’s Focus on “Opportunity”: Global Growth
Figure skating is largely confined to a few dominant regions: North America, East Asia, and Europe. To expand its popularity, audience, and revenue, the ISU has to find new markets. This initiative is outlined in its high-level strategic framework, “ISU Vision 2030,” where a core pillar is defined as “Opportunity,” focusing on expanding the global skating population.3
In the ISU’s own words, hosting events in countries like the UAE and Azerbaijan “underscore[s] the ISU’s commitment to expanding into new regions, growing the sport, and making it more accessible worldwide.”4 Placing a competition like the JGP in a previously untapped, wealthy region is a way to demonstrate the ISU’s commitment to diversity and global reach.
Increasing Skating’s Popularity in the UAE
The history of figure skating in the UAE is spearheaded by Zahra Lari. She was the first figure skater from the Middle East to compete internationally, and she made history by successfully challenging the ISU to change its rules to permit the hijab in competition. Lari is also the co-founder and CEO of the Emirates Skating Club.
By hosting the JGP, the UAE may hope that this opens the door to bigger figure skating events, promoting skating in their country and fostering local talent. The Olympic-sized Zayed Sports City Ice Rink (where the JGP was held) and the new Emirates Sports Arena in Dubai (marketed as the Middle East’s first professional, NHL-standard rink) are high-quality facilities, though their limited seating capacity prevents them from hosting major events like the World Championships.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Skating fans and media need to continue shining a light on what’s happening here. Awareness can lead to accountability.
While the International Olympic Committee requires host cities to “protect and respect human rights” in their contracts,5 I haven’t been able to find information on whether the ISU’s own event contracts contain the same requirements. The ISU should consider adopting and enforcing these kinds of standards to protect the integrity of the sport and ensure its growth doesn’t come at the cost of complicity.
What are your thoughts? Do you think that JGP Abu Dhabi is an example of sportswashing? Are you okay with this trade-off for growth? This is a complex issue that I’m not super familiar with, so I’m genuinely open to hearing different perspectives.
Let me know in the comments below!
Fascinating read! Thanks for putting this together!