We changed the title of the thread. It was initially titled, "Saudi's Considering 600million investment" which appears to be factually incorrect. The articles we've read said they are considering investing in a new business that manages the sport's commercial rights at a valuation of $600 million.
I’m open to always improving the sport. Europe has done a much better job than any other region in the world in giving opportunities, quality tracks, and quality meets with good attendance for athletes. If Saudis think they can match this by all means go ahead. But, Doha 2019 was not good due to very hot weather and poor attendance, are Arabs even fans of track and field, an already unpopular sport dwindled by others? What’s in it for the Arabs?
It's just about sportwashing the appalling Saudi human rights record, and giving the country more prestige and a higher profile as the oil slowly runs out.
Look at the crowds at the high-profile boxing events they hold, including recent world heavyweight title fights. Sparsely attended and most of the spectators seem uninterested.
I doubt if they will care too much about anti-doping. I'm always suspicious of the early season results at the Doha DL, where guys like the Manangois or ReynauldCheryuit run their season's fastest time in May.
Who is Reynauld Cheryuit? Is he related to Reynold Cheruiyot, who in the last three seasons ran his best times in July or August?
Do you always have to lie to feed your hatred of black runners?
run away. it's not worth the money to take on the human rights record, running meets in the middle east heat in front of 150 people, the likely muzzling of athletes to suit their politics.
that and we shouldn't be sharing out the profits of our sport to non-sport people this much.
No Way should this be done. Europe murdered 500 Million people in Africa, India, China, Americas. Saudis should fork an independent BTC Bit Coin league.
The problem w WA and DL is the corruption like they demand you use their unpaid TV cameramen and their rich TV producers and many countries like Germany have local union mandates for sporting events and pay a living wage so media staff can raise a family in Berlin for example.
The WA and DL use the same rich TV producer in UK that is Seb's buddy and loses money just to get the gig and rub shoulders with Seb and his cronies. That doesn't fly in Germany. We have anti-corruption laws and careful oversight for Athletics.