Sportswashing Archives

Sportswashing

2020 Tour Down Under peloton rides through bushfire-affected area

“Santos Tour Down Under: Australia’s top event for climate bullshit”: Spoof ad skewers race’s “sportswashing” oil and gas sponsor; Brennan’s classics plans; Philipsen fly-by; Scottish cycling budget boost; Greatest anti-bikes rant? + more on the live blog

You may have noticed some technical glitches on the site this morning, but don’t worry, because normal service will now resume on the Tuesday live blog… which means Ryan Mallon’s here with lots of news, views, and silly stuff he found on the internet

Tue, Jan 13, 2026 09:56

“Is sport a force for good? Or for battering people into submission?” Former UCI president Brian Cookson on Israel, sportswashing, banning nation state sponsors, and why protests highlight bike race security failures

“We’re ambivalent about so many things in cycling. Aren’t the crowds so enthusiastic? But on the other hand, it’s a disaster waiting to happen”

Fri, Oct 10, 2025 17:49

Pro-Palestine protest, stage 11, 2025 Vuelta, Bilbao

Israel-Premier Tech are finding out that sportswashing goes both ways

George questions whether the current situation that Israel-Premier Tech and the whole pro peloton find themselves in could have a lasting impact on how cycling teams are created, and who their sponsors are

Thu, Sep 11, 2025 13:21

The UAE is investing heavily in cycling — but can we trust that its intentions are genuine?

While on the ground in Abu Dhabi, Chris Schwenker saw first-hand the commitment to health, fitness, and accessibility to cycling. But is it enough?

Tue, Feb 27, 2024 17:35

“Our sport will wither and die if we refuse these sponsors”: Sportswashing and pro cycling’s carbon footprint discussed, plus LTNs vs dodgy data on the road.cc Podcast

In episode 71 of the road.cc Podcast, we’ve got two great guests and two compelling topics to discuss… namely sportswashing and low traffic neighbourhoods

Thu, Feb 22, 2024 14:16

Ineos’s Grangemouth oil refinery complex at sunset

Is cycling’s ‘sportswashing’ debate too big to ignore? World Championships protest shines spotlight on less-than-green sponsors

Backing from petrochemicals giants and oil-rich states highlights gap between cycling as sport and riding as transport when it comes to environmental credentials

Mon, Aug 07, 2023 18:08