Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Finns sportswashing? En analys av mediabevakningen av fotbolls – VM i Qatar i Sverige och Storbritannien 2010 - 2022

Krizbai Obradovic, Stefan LU (2025) STVK04 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This study aims to investigate whether sportswashing can be identified in the media coverage of Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The study focuses on narrative change over time in traditional Swedish and British new media between 2010 and 2022. Sportswashing refers to a practice where countries with a poor international reputation use sports to improve their global image. To analyse this the study applies a theoretical model consisting of three waves. Criticism, counter narratives and normalization. Additional perspectives from nation branding and attention economy are used to understand how Qatar attempted to rebrand itself and how media attention shifted over time. The study is based on a qualitative and quantitative content... (More)
This study aims to investigate whether sportswashing can be identified in the media coverage of Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The study focuses on narrative change over time in traditional Swedish and British new media between 2010 and 2022. Sportswashing refers to a practice where countries with a poor international reputation use sports to improve their global image. To analyse this the study applies a theoretical model consisting of three waves. Criticism, counter narratives and normalization. Additional perspectives from nation branding and attention economy are used to understand how Qatar attempted to rebrand itself and how media attention shifted over time. The study is based on a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of ten selected news articles. The results show a shift in news coverage. From a predominantly negative reporting in the early phases of the tournament to a more positive and accepting tone in later stages. This indicates that sportswashing may have occurred and that shifts in media and public attention play a role in sportswashing. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Krizbai Obradovic, Stefan LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK04 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Sportswashing, Fotbolls-VM 2022, Qatar, Nation branding, Uppmärksamhetsekonomi
language
Swedish
id
9189801
date added to LUP
2025-08-08 11:09:56
date last changed
2025-08-08 11:09:56
@misc{9189801,
  abstract     = {{This study aims to investigate whether sportswashing can be identified in the media coverage of Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The study focuses on narrative change over time in traditional Swedish and British new media between 2010 and 2022. Sportswashing refers to a practice where countries with a poor international reputation use sports to improve their global image. To analyse this the study applies a theoretical model consisting of three waves. Criticism, counter narratives and normalization. Additional perspectives from nation branding and attention economy are used to understand how Qatar attempted to rebrand itself and how media attention shifted over time. The study is based on a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of ten selected news articles. The results show a shift in news coverage. From a predominantly negative reporting in the early phases of the tournament to a more positive and accepting tone in later stages. This indicates that sportswashing may have occurred and that shifts in media and public attention play a role in sportswashing.}},
  author       = {{Krizbai Obradovic, Stefan}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Finns sportswashing? En analys av mediabevakningen av fotbolls – VM i Qatar i Sverige och Storbritannien 2010 - 2022}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}