‘I don’t see why rugby should have an issue with it’ – Mike Tindall’s controversial view on Saudi Arabian investment
Former England Rugby World Cup winner Mike Tindall.
England Rugby World Cup winner Mike Tindall has backed the potential involvement of Saudi Arabia in rugby union, despite the country’s human rights abuses.
It was reported in January that four Premiership clubs were in talks with the Saudi sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF) about potentially putting money into the English game.
The talk has not stopped there with Steve Diamond, Newcastle’s director of rugby, revealing that he is keen to see Saudi investment.
Other Saudi Arabian investment
Plenty of sports have already cashed in on the oil-rich state, including football, boxing and formula one, while they are also making significant moves in tennis.
Rugby appears to be another target for the Middle East nation and Tindall insists that the sport should embrace it, despite Amnesty International’s criticism of their human rights record.
“It’s a hot potato, but I would say yes. We seem to be a sport which never gets rewarded for our loyalty and our values. I also think [the Amnesty International report] is one side of the coin,” he told The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast.
“If you went and spoke to UAE people looking at the west, they would have their view on how we run our countries; our country is not perfectly run at the moment, there are loads of issues around that.
“If you put it back to a sporting context, I don’t think it is really relevant. Every other sport is taking money from Saudi Arabia. Aramco have been putting money into numerous sports for years and years.
“Now every other sport is going in. I don’t think a sport [rugby] that could genuinely transform itself… what the players put in, the hard work on the field, is just not backed up by the finances off the field.
“If there is a way of doing that better, and other sports have proven it can be done and managed and people can get past it, then I don’t see why rugby should have an issue with it.”
British and Irish Lions: Qatar aiming to host a game during 2025 Australia tour
Other investment and new competitions
Saudi Arabia is not the only Middle East country to be interested in rugby with reports in December 2022 revealing Qatar’s plans to dip their toes into the sport.
They had reportedly drawn up plans to host a British and Irish Lions clash, while they are also looking to invest in sevens given its Olympic connection.
Recently, the Daily Mail stated that Qatar have bid to host the new Nations Championship from 2026, a new competition which sees the big international teams go head-to-head.
They have proposed a three-day event with six play-off matches in what they have billed as a “Superbowl of rugby.”
Should Qatar and Saudi Arabia invest, it would significantly benefit rugby but cause huge controversy given their respective human rights records.
Despite that, Tindall is in favour of getting them on board and, alongside former Gloucester wing Mark Foster, who also appeared on the podcast, they discussed a possible idea.
Foster is currently the Senior Vice President of Finance for LIV Golf and was asked how big investment could alter the dynamics of the sport.
He and the ex-England centre suggested buying the world’s top players, putting them into eight to 10 teams and having a three-month competition spread across the world, with the money generated going back into the unions and clubs.
“For me is where sport is going – tailgating on a Friday night, you can do junior and women’s games and concerts, then on Saturday you have double and triple headers with global DJs afterwards,” Foster said.
“You turn it from people being there for five hours on site to 8am to midnight.”
