United Against Sportswashing, an independent group of Manchester United supporters opposing a potential takeover by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, are calling on Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to condemn the Nine Two Foundation bid due to the state of Qatar's well-documented human rights abuses.
The group believes United's identity is at stake and are writing to key figures asking them to sign an open letter calling for a Sheikh Jassim-led takeover to be blocked. United Against Sportswashing (UAS) are also asking Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, the Football Association and the Government to stop any sale from proceeding.
The group, founded in February, describe themselves as long-term fans and joined forces with Newcastle United group NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing ahead of last weekend's match with the Magpies, a club majority owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, to call for a ban on the sale of clubs to states committing human rights abuses.
READ MORE: Senior UK Government officials flag Sheikh Jassim 'concerns'
Premier League clubs recently approved amendments to the owners’ and directors’ test which would bar anyone found to have committed human rights abuses from owning a club based on the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations, but it is claimed this would not hinder Sheikh Jassim. His bid is being pitched as a personal one rather than coming directly from a state-owned body with the offer coming from his Nine Two Foundation.
"We’ve already seen with Newcastle what happens when a supposedly state-independent takeover is allowed to go ahead," group spokesman Antony Whittaker told the Manchester Evening News. "We want to stop it from reaching that stage.
"The campaign has momentum: lots of us United fans don’t want this to happen. The Glazers taking money out of the club is bad enough, but this would be even worse – United’s identity and what we stand for is at stake.
"We’re all appalled at the idea of our club being used to sportswash a country where homosexuality is criminalised, women need a man’s permission to have a smear test, and migrant workers are treated like dirt. We’re asking all United fans to support the campaign in the stadium, around the city and online.
"At a time when the identity of our city is being scrutinised, it’s vital that Mancunian values of tolerance and independence aren’t trashed by association with a repressive regime. Andy Burnham has recently spoken (in the Guardian) about the need to reckon with Manchester’s historical links to slavery via the cotton trade. Right now in Qatar, migrant workers are subject to horrific exploitation, and thousands died building the World Cup stadiums. It’s no good talking about the past if you don’t take action in the present.
"We all know the story of Alan Turing, who was persecuted for his sexuality; back when it was still illegal to be gay in this country, and who took his own life. Nowadays, we put up statues of him in the Gay Village. We name streets after him and say what a terrific Mancunian he was. But that’s all meaningless unless we’re prepared to stand up against what’s going on today in Qatar, where homosexuality can still land you in jail."
United Against Sportswashing declined to comment on the rival bids from the British businessman's chemicals company INEOS, who are accused of 'greenwashing' their reputation through sport, and Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus' XXI Century Capital investment group.
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