WTA Forces Players to Choose Between Silence and Oppression in Saudi Arabia: Human Rights Group

The women’s professional tennis tour (WTA) has found itself embroiled in controversy after striking a lucrative deal to hold its biggest event, the year-end WTA Finals, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The decision has sparked outrage from human rights groups and former tennis stars, who have raised concerns about the oppressive regime in Saudi Arabia.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized the WTA for putting its players in a difficult position, forcing them to choose between staying silent on human rights abuses or risking heavy-handed sanctions in a country where dissent is not tolerated. Minky Worden, HRW’s director of global initiatives, highlighted the challenges faced by players, especially those who identify as LGBT, in a country where their existence is not recognized by law.

The controversy surrounding the WTA’s decision to host the Finals in Saudi Arabia comes at a time when the country’s human rights record has come under intense scrutiny. The assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and the imprisonment of women’s rights activists have raised serious concerns about the lack of freedoms in the country.

HRW is calling on players to use their platform to advocate for human rights in Saudi Arabia, particularly for women like Loujain al-Hathloul, who was imprisoned and tortured for her activism. The organization is urging the WTA to adopt a human rights policy that would govern its operations in countries with poor human rights records.

The WTA has defended its decision, citing the growth of women’s sport in Saudi Arabia and the positive opportunity to support tennis at all levels. The organization has assured that it will support its players’ right to express themselves freely, despite the challenges they may face in a country with strict laws on dissent.

As the debate rages on, the WTA will need to navigate the delicate balance between promoting women’s tennis and standing up for human rights in the face of mounting pressure from activists and former players. The upcoming WTA Finals in Riyadh will undoubtedly be a test of the organization’s commitment to both sport and social responsibility.