Eastern Libya Turns to ‘Sportswashing’ in Bid for International Legitimacy
The regime of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya has increasingly turned to high-profile sports events as a tool for political legitimation and to project a narrative of stability amidst ongoing fragmentation in the country. A recent analysis by New Lines Magazine highlights how the Haftar family is utilizing “sportswashing” to divert attention from its human rights record and consolidate domestic popularity through the spectacle of international football.
Central to this strategy was a friendly match held on October 10 between European football giants Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan. The event, dubbed the “Reconstruction Cup,” took place in the newly renovated Benina Martyrs Stadium in Benghazi. The match concluded with Atlético Madrid securing a victory in a penalty shootout, but the true victor, according to observers, was the Haftar family’s burgeoning soft power apparatus.
The event was financed and orchestrated by the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, a body led by Belqasim Haftar, one of the Field Marshal’s sons. The fund has become a primary vehicle for the regime’s efforts to rebrand Benghazi—a city previously synonymous with the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate and years of grinding civil war—as a vibrant, safe, and open destination for international investment and tourism.
“The match and the spectacle it generated exemplify the tools of soft power that the Haftars have been resorting to in recent years,” the report notes. By hosting top-tier European clubs, the regime seeks to signal to both local youth and Western powers that eastern Libya is open for business and has moved past the chaos of the last decade.
However, the glossy facade of the “Reconstruction Cup” barely concealed the underlying security concerns that continue to plague the region. Reports indicate that FC Barcelona had initially been scheduled to participate but withdrew at the last minute due to security apprehensions, replaced by Atlético Madrid. furthermore, both visiting teams opted to arrive in Benghazi on the day of the match and depart immediately after the final whistle, pointedly avoiding overnight stays or tours of the city. Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport described the atmosphere as “intense and surreal,” highlighting the disconnect between the on-field spectacle and the grim political reality surrounding it.
Critics and human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have condemned the event as a classic case of sportswashing. They argue that such spectacles serve to “launder” the reputation of the Haftar regime, which faces accusations of stifling dissent, arbitrary detentions, and other abuses. The New Lines Magazine report underscores that while the stadium lights shine on European stars, the regime continues to govern with an iron fist, and the memory of the devastating military campaigns and the recent catastrophe of Storm Daniel still looms large over the population.
The push into sports aligns with a broader consolidation of power by the Haftar family. While Belqasim manages the reconstruction narrative, his brother Saddam Haftar has risen through the military ranks, cementing the dynastic nature of their control. For the youth of Benghazi, starved of entertainment and normalcy, the arrival of European champions is a welcome distraction, but for international observers, it represents a calculated maneuver to purchase legitimacy on the global stage without addressing the root causes of Libya’s instability.
* hrw.org
* newlinesmag.com
