Dr. Alan McDougall, a sport historian in the College of Arts, provided his thoughts to news outlets on recent investments by Arab nations in professional sport. 

For an article in Sports Business Journal, McDougall discussed Saudi Arabia’s recent investment in world-class sports such as soccer and tennis. 

“In the case of Saudi Arabia with its vast sovereign wealth, the potential risks of negative publicity are outweighed by the sort of leverage and financial influence that can come — and therefore the political and cultural influence that can come — through putting money into sport,” McDougall said. 

In an interview with CTV News, McDougall discussed criticisms facing Qatar as it gets set to host the World Cup of soccer. 

He questioned whether statements by various sponsors and organizations condemning Qatar for human rights abuses will be followed up by actions.

On air with the Global News radio show Mornings with Sue and Andy, McDougall explained how Qatar came to host the upcoming tournament, before commenting on the criticism the country is facing for human rights abuses. 

A professor in the Department of History, McDougall researches the history of sport, with an emphasis on soccer. His most recent book is Contested Fields: A Global History of Modern Football.