Cycling’s questionable funding model

here was opprobrium when the takeover of Newcastle United by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, was completed in October. This was despite Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights record, which includes the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, allegedly on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who controls the PIF. Amnesty International’s chief executive, Sacha Deshmukh, said: “The way the Premier League waved this deal through raises deeply troubling questions about sports-washing, human rights and sport, and the integrity of English football.” The takeover has led to some soul searching