Mamdani loves Arsenal. He should challenge them to cut ties with the UAE over Sudan | Sasha Lezhnev and John Prendergast
Summary
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is a big fan of the soccer team Arsenal, which is sponsored by Emirates Airlines. Emirates, owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), supports a militia involved in a violent conflict in Sudan, causing a major humanitarian crisis. Some people want Mamdani to ask Arsenal to stop their relationship with Emirates because of this.Key Facts
- Zohran Mamdani is the mayor of New York and a very passionate Arsenal fan.
- Arsenal is sponsored by Emirates Airlines, a company owned by the UAE government.
- The UAE supports the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Sudan, which is involved in violent conflict and causing large displacement and hunger.
- The UAE has provided weapons and drones to the RSF.
- The UAE has spent over $5.2 billion sponsoring global sports teams and events as part of a campaign called sportswashing, aiming to improve its image.
- Arsenal has previously stopped a sponsorship deal with Rwanda after concerns over human rights abuses in its conflict with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Arsenal’s owners, the Kroenke family, have taken stands on human rights issues in the past.
- Advocates want Mayor Mamdani to use his influence to push Arsenal to end its sponsorship with Emirates due to the militia’s actions in Sudan.
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