domingo, 28 de febrero de 2016

Qatar Investment Authority’s Impact on the Sporting World



The Qatar Investment Authority is Qatar’s state-owned investment fund and has been rapidly increasing their stake in the sporting world over the past few years.  The QIA and its subsidiary, Qatar Sports Investments, have been behind key acquisitions in the sporting world, including the Paris Saint-Germain football club, various football television rights, and the rights to sponsor Barcelona FC.  The QIA and QSI have also developed a strategy of influence throughout sports by acquiring professional sports clubs, organizing recurring sports events, and organizing solitary sporting events such as the 2006 Asian Games and the 2022 World Cup. In 2011, QSI bought a 70 percent stake in PSG and has gone on to invest heavily in making the French club one of world football's leading powers.  Since the takeovers, the club has gone on a spending spree, buying up the best players available as their owners seek to buy success.  More recently, Qatar Sports Investments has been holding talks to buy a stake in David Beckham’s proposed new Major League Soccer franchise.


There is no question that Qatar is investing heavily in the sporting sector, but why? Some believe the QIA and QSI are using these investments as a domestic policy tool to develop a healthy society and to attract expats from abroad.  Others believe the investment fund is using sport as a foreign policy tool to build relations with various people and countries to gain power and national security. For more information read this interesting article: https://www.aub.edu.lb/fas/pspa/politics-sports/Documents/Reiche-2014-Qatar-Sport%20Policy.pdf. Is it a domestic or foreign policy tool, or simply good business? Why do you think banks and investment firms, especially the Qatar Invest Authority, invest so heavily in sports? Leave comments below.

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