Photo by Drew Hastings via Uplash.

“Falcon’s Flight,” a product of the Liechtensteiner manufacturer Intamin, has been advertised as the longest, fastest, and tallest roller coaster in the world. First announced by Six Flags on Aug. 26, 2019, the record-breaking coaster is currently under construction and projected to open by 2025 as part of the Six Flags Qiddiya grand opening in Saudi Arabia. 

The 3D rendering of “Falcon’s Flight” features three separate LSM launches, 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) of track, a top speed of 251 kilometers per hour (156 miles per hour) and a 640 foot drop. For reference, the average roller coaster is only 610 to 914 meters (2,000 to 3,000 feet, less than a mile) in length, 24 to 46 meters (80 to 150 feet) in height, and reaches a top speed of 64 to 97 kilometers per hour (40 to 60 miles per hour), paling in comparison by every metric to the ambitious blueprints for “Falcon’s Flight.”

“This project is daunting and requires many engineers and designers to make it work safely and provide enjoyment for many riders,” said Dr. Blane Baker, professor of engineering and physics at William Jewell College, in an interview with The Hilltop Monitor. “Working collaboratively is important. In my view, the design team would consist of a diverse group with expertise in design, safety, crisis management and public relations.”

The new amusement park Six Flags Qiddiya, home of “Falcon’s Flight,” will be part of the ongoing development of a project called Qiddiya City. Qiddiya City is being constructed near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and will play a key role in the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative – an effort by the Saudi Arabian government to reduce the country’s reliance on oil by promoting new tourism and entertainment efforts, such as amusement rides like “Falcon’s Flight.” Oct. 9, 2024, Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Projects have reached $1.3 Trillion in value. 

For many years, Saudi Arabia has garnered negative attention from the rest of the world due to an abysmal record of human rights violations. This largely stems from a theocratic government, in which the public practice of any religion other than Sunni Islam is illegal and punishable by detainment, torture, and in the case of atheism or agnosticism, even the death penalty. LGBT+ individuals are heavily persecuted and subject to exemplary punishment, such as a 27-year-old man whose identity is unknown who was sentenced to 500 lashes and a fine of 50,000 riyals (equivalent to approx. $13,000 USD) for the crime of homosexuality. To add to the list of examples, male guardianship over women in Saudi Arabia was codified in 2022 and the kingdom has faced backlash over the state-sanctioned murder of independent journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, after having criticized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in The Washington Post.

For these reasons along with an abundance of other concerns, many have critiqued Vision 2030 as not only a way to diversify the country’s economy but to distract from its failure to rectify these concerns. While LGBT+ Saudi Arabians are forced into exile, Saudi Arabia notes on their official government that the kingdom welcomes LGBT+ tourists wishing to visit, clarifying that travelers will not be required to disclose such information. Many critics have taken notice of this contradiction in standards, such as Pakistani journalist, Kunwar Khuldune Shahid, who characterized the hypocritical measure as “a grotesque insult to the local gay community.”

Due to the extreme and ambitious nature of the record breaking roller coaster, “Falcon’s Flight,” many coaster enthusiasts have debated whether the ride will live up to the standards it has promised to meet – or whether it will even be built at all. For many, the coaster was merely wishful thinking until photos of the construction process began to surface earlier this year.

“The viability of the coaster will depend on regular inspections and the ability to carefully monitor sensors installed along the track,” weighed in Dr. Baker. “Drones and other modern technology could be very useful for monitoring the performance of the coaster and how riders are doing. Protocols must be in place to keep coaster staff vigilant and ready to respond to problems. The absence of welds in the track should eliminate problems with welds cracking.” 

If or when Six Flags Qiddiya opens its doors, American consumers are largely split on how this will impact their spending patterns at local Six Flags parks. Following their merger with Cedar Fair on July 1, 2024, Six Flags owns a total of 42 amusement parks across 17 states, along with locations in both Canada and Mexico. This includes one park local to our campus and publication: Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri. 

The Hilltop Monitor conducted a series of anonymous online surveys asking students whether Six Flags’ involvement in Saudi Arabia’s 2024 would impact their willingness to support local amusement parks owned by Six Flags. 60 randomly-selected students representing a variety of departments and academic backgrounds volunteered to complete our survey. 30 percent of students answered that Six Flags’ partnership with the Saudi government would influence whether they would spend money at Six Flags parks such as Worlds of Fun in the future, of which 15 percent noted strong influence. 25 percent noted that this would not impact their decision. Another 25 percent noted they would not have planned to visit the amusement park for reasons unrelated to the partnership, while the remaining 20 percent stated that they would need more information to make a decision. 
Though the future of “Falcon’s Flight” and Flags Qiddiya is rather unclear, the record-breaking coaster continues to stir controversy and spark discourse regarding ethical challenges and the plausibility of the park delivering on its bold promises. Updates can be tracked on the official website for Six Flags Qiddiya. As of the time of publication, an official opening date is yet to be posted to the site.

The year 1936 has gone down in European history as the year of the Berlin Olympics under Nazi Germany. Three years before the outbreak of the Second World War, these Olympic Games were seen by Hitler as a propaganda tool to send a strong message to the world: Aryans are superior athletes. This belief was rooted in the eugenics theory that racial superiority could be explained by genetics. Of course, eugenics is at the heart of Nazi ideology and these Olympic Games of the past were the ideal opportunity to prove the hegemony of Aryan athletes; and thus defend the relevance of this ideology. However, African American athletes enjoyed enormous success in 1936, in particular Jesse Owens, famous for being the first African-American athlete to win four gold medals at the same Olympic Games. His success also left its mark on history, as Adolf Hitler refused to acknowledge Owens’ victories or shake his hand. Indeed, this famous episode, experienced as a humiliation by Hitler, underlines a major theme in sports and politics: the instrumentalization of sports by authoritarian regimes.

 But why is this so important today? Sports have been, and still are, an important form of soft power used by authoritarian and democratic rulers all over the world. In this article, I will attempt to analyze the limits and dangers of the instrumentalization of sports by authoritarian states and propose a broader description of sports as an effective geopolitical weapon for democratic states.

What does “Authoritarianism” really mean ?

Authoritarianism is a vague concept to a lot of folks. Its true meaning is poorly understood, yet roughly 40% of the world’s countries are ruled by an authoritarian leader. Simply put, authoritarianism is a political system whose main objective is to maintain the power of the ruler, come what may. regimes ignore the rule of law and democratic principles and their mandate does not depend on the consent of the people. To stay in power, authoritarian leaders use a range of strategies, from violent coercion to propaganda. Sports are a soft power tool used by authoritarian rulers to convey an ideology. But is this method effective? ? 

Firstly, sports bring people together and help build a nation. Secondly, it promotes the state’s official ideology and reinforces authoritarian narratives of national greatness. These characteristics are particularly true of totalitarian states such as Nazi Germany or present-day North Korea, whose ultimate goal is to create a utopia. In this sense, sports can be a vehicle for the state sponsored ideology. Nevertheless, sport is not always used as a means of conveying an ideology, and many authoritarian states see it simply as an effective weapon, an extension of the state’s political and economic power.

Sport and Authoritarianism: Dangers and Limits? 

These days, sports are primarily a revenue platform for authoritarian states. Several Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, are increasingly financially involved in all kinds of sports, particularly soccer and Formula 1. In 2024, sports are attracting considerable attention and have become a global phenomenon that appeals to more and more people. The amount of money invested in and the revenues generated by the sports market are increasing rapidly, with an expected growth in revenues of over 60% by 2028. However, as sports revenues rise, so does the economic cost of hosting sporting events. 

A common trend has been observed over the past decade: unstable democracies and authoritarian states are increasingly hosting major sporting events. These states are often oil-rich countries such as Qatar, Bahrain or Saudi Arabia. As explained previously, these states use sports to convey broader political messages and achieve popular cohesion. Unfortunately, staging major events such as Formula 1 races, the World Cup or boxing matches, is financially draining and does not always benefit the economy as a whole. In fact, in many cases financing global sporting events ends up creating a greater financial burden for the population. For example, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar cost 220 billion American dollars, a huge sum that will take decades to repay, and has contributed to  the financial disparities within the country.

The protection of human rights is another major concern when it comes to authoritarian regimes hosting sporting events. In fact, most authoritarian countries lack the appropriate infrastructure and facilities to host sporting events, so they usually build these infrastructures from scratch, specifically for the events in question. Construction is often very intensive and these regimes do not hesitate to violate international laws. Most recently, Qatar, which hosted the 2022 World Cup, was targeted by numerous international organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Right Watch over the abuses committed against migrant workers and the hundreds of workers injured during the construction of half a dozen brand-new stadiums in the space of just a few years. The Qatari government has denied most of the allegations. Therefore, Qatar’s problematic situation has given rise to a real debate on the legitimacy of authoritarian regimes hosting such sporting events. 

But Why should Democratic States Care?

Colossal amounts of money are involved in hosting major sporting events, often creating significant conflicts of interest. Despite the mobilization of athletes and humanitarian organizations to denounce the abuses of host countries, democratic states have often turned a blind eye to the issue of sports in authoritarian countries. Recently, the situation has changed somewhat with the resumption of war in Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine represents the biggest ground war in Europe since  World War II. In this context, sports represents one of the many points of tension in the conflict. Sport became a veritable soft power weapon, helping to raise Russia’s profile. 

Since 2022, many Russian athletes have been denied the right to take part in sporting competitions, with the aim of penalizing Russian “soft power” and sending a strong message of support for Ukraine. One of the first victims was tennis player Danil Medvedev, who was unable to take part in a number of major tennis tournaments, including Wimbledon 2023. Despite being ranked No. 2 in the world, Medvedev and his fellow Russians and Belarusians were banned from that year’s Wimbledon. Similarly, the Russian and Belarusian delegations were banned from taking part in the 2024 Paris Olympics, a heavy sanction seen as a humiliation by both countries. Nevertheless, sports seem to be increasingly used by many as a way to condemn injustice and punish acts of impunity. For instance, Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly spoken out to call out Formula 1’s involvement with authoritarian and repressive regimes such as Saudi Arabia, which fail to respect human rights.

With all that said, the financial and ideological stakes of sports make it a powerful weapon for sanctioning authoritarian states and defending liberal democratic ideals, notably the protection of human rights and freedom of expression. The current state of Putin’s war in Ukraine transcends any concept of human justice and in this context, the instrumentalization of sports to attack Russia’s image and soft power seems more than appropriate. While the intersection between sports and geopolitics is not intuitive, it is essential to understanding complex power dynamics. As guardians of democratic values, it is imperative that democratic states reclaim sports as a platform to oppose oppression, foster international solidarity and lead a global commitment to justice and human dignity.

As global outrage grew, many expressed unwavering support for Israel. However, it’s crucial to recognize that history is not confined to our attention span. Before making judgments, we must understand that the complexity of this situation requires a consideration of the historical context spanning at least the last two centuries.

History of Israel and Palestine 

Beginning in the 1840s, the British viewed Palestine as a strategic Middle Eastern foothold, formalizing their interest during World War I through the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which called for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. Tensions escalated between Arabs and Jews in the following decades as a growing number of Jewish people sought refuge in Palestine following the Holocaust. Driven by a need for safety after centuries of persecution, Jewish individuals desired their own state. Simultaneously, Palestinians witnessed their own homes being forcibly taken and their land colonized, deepening the conflict. The conflict grew so large that the UK turned the issue over to the United Nations in 1947.  After looking at alternatives, the UN proposed the separation of Palestine into two independent states, one Palestinian-Arab and the other Jewish. The Jewish state proclaimed its independence as Israel. In the 1948 war involving neighboring Arab States, Israel’s new army expanded its territory, leading to the expulsion or flight of about 700,000 Palestinians, constituting approximately 85% of the indigenous Arab population in the captured area, who were never permitted to return.

Over the past 50 years, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has persisted with Israel constructing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where more than 700,000 Jews now reside, despite international law deeming these settlements illegal. Israel’s policies, particularly concerning the Gaza Strip, have faced global criticism. Since 2007 Gaza has been under a stringent blockade, tightly controlled by Israel, encompassed by concrete walls and barbed wire fences.

Palestinians in Gaza endure severe restrictions, with limited access to trade, water and electricity due to the blockade. They are prohibited from entering or leaving the territory except in extremely rare cases such as urgent, life-threatening medical conditions. This situation has been described by human rights groups as akin to living in the world’s largest open-air prison.

Israel’s Response to the Attack  

In response to the recent attack on Oct. 7, Israel has taken significant military actions, which have sparked widespread international concern. Reports have emerged detailing alleged war crimes committed by Israel, including the bombing of hospitals and deliberate cutoffs of essential services such as electricity and water supply in Gaza. 

According to the Secretary General of Amnesty International, Agnès Callamard: “In their stated intent to use all means to destroy Hamas, Israeli forces have shown a shocking disregard for civilian lives. They have pulverized street after street of residential buildings killing civilians on a mass scale and destroying essential infrastructure, while new restrictions mean Gaza is fast running out of water, medicine, fuel and electricity. Testimonies from eyewitnesses and survivors highlighted, again and again, how Israeli attacks decimated Palestinian families, causing such destruction that surviving relatives have little but rubble to remember their loved ones by.” 

American Involvement 

The United States, among other countries, has been a long-standing supporter of Israel, providing substantial financial aid and military assistance. This support has generated debates and criticism, raising questions about the indirect endorsement of Israel’s military actions in the region.

The US is currently continuing its extensive financial support to Israel, having provided the country with $158 billion since World War II, surpassing aid given to any other nation. Although US officials have thus far refrained from sending troops, they actively support the Israeli military and security forces. In response to the recent Hamas attack, the US is sending guided-missile carriers, F-35 fighters and other equipment

On Oct. 13, The American public seemed to agree with the support of Israel. 44% of the 1,313 adult  Americans polled said that Israel’s response to Hamas attacks has been about right, while about 25% said it has actually been too little.  An article published on Oct. 23 showed how these numbers have changed over the last week. It found 7 in 10 Americans — support providing aid to Israel. When asked for opinions on Israel’s response to Hamas’ attack, 35% of registered voters said Israel’s retaliation has been “about right” while one-quarter said Israel’s response has been “not harsh enough.”  Those numbers may seem like a relatively small change, but it does show that opinions are changing slowly but surely. This may be due to the increasing number of young people who are speaking out against Israel’s action.

Should America be Supporting Israel

The significant financial aid and military assistance provided by the United States endorse Israel’s actions. This only leads to more human rights violations and exacerbates tensions in the region. There needs to be a more balanced approach that promotes diplomacy, dialogue and a just resolution to the conflict. Americans should advocate for a reconsideration of the substantial aid provided and urge the US to leverage its influence to encourage both parties to engage in peaceful negotiations and respect for international law instead of unequivocally supporting the Israeli government.

By promoting initiatives that encourage mutual understanding and respect, the focus can shift from military aid to diplomatic solutions. The goal should be to create a more peaceful coexistence. It’s vital for policymakers and leaders to carefully consider the implications of their support and work towards a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security.

Conclusion

The ethics of the Israel-Hamas conflict is very nuanced and this article can only act as a brief overview. Nevertheless, it is important to consider not only the tragedies that Israel and its citizens have gone through but also the continuous and systemic tragedies that the Palestinian people have faced. To be as informed and humane as possible we must pay close attention to both sides of the issue. Unequivocally supporting a single side is how we allow injustice to happen.

While discussing these issues, it’s essential to emphasize that criticism of the Israeli government’s policies should not translate into hatred or prejudice against Jewish people. Not all Jewish individuals support the Israeli government’s actions, just as not all Palestinians support the actions of Hamas. Navigating this topic demands careful consideration that aims to promote understanding and empathy while condemning violence and injustice.

Turkey has been forcing Saudi Arabia to go on the defensive in relation to the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Following two weeks of denials by the Saudi government, they admitted that Khashoggi was killed within the consulate. Officials of Saudi Arabia have called it a “rogue operation” and vowed to find and bring penalties to those involved. However, President Trump stated in an interview with The Washington Post that “there’s been deception and there’s been lies” from the Saudi government.

Jamal Khashoggi was a prominent journalist in Saudi Arabia who came to be exiled by the royal family after writing a monthly column criticizing the Crown Prince’s policies. After his first article was published, he said that many people were being detained by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an evident suppression on dissidents. This crackdown was a result of the ambitious social and economic reforms in Saudi Arabia.

The journalist entered the consulate Oct. 2 to receive the necessary documents to marry his Turkish fiancee. His fiancee waited for him outside of the building for hours without him ever re-emerging.

The Turkish authorities were quick to state that Khashoggi had been murdered, gruesomely, and had hard evidence to prove such an accusation. For about two weeks, the Saudi government claimed that he had left the building alive but after the weeks of global outcry and pressure from the west, Saudi Arabia had admitted to Khashoggi being killed inside the consulate.

Turkey began using this case of wrongful death by the Saudi government to repair relations with the United States by releasing the U.S. pastor, Andrew Brunson. The pastor was being held prisoner in Turkey for nearly two years under charges for helping with the attempted coup in 2016 to overthrow President Erdogan. President Trump told reporters “[we] feel much different about Turkey today than we did yesterday” and that he had great hope of having “a very, very good relationship.”

Since the Arab Spring in 2010, Turkey has been emerging as a rival Middle Eastern power when it supported the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt whereas Saudi Arabia harshly did not. Erdogan is an Islamist and many parties in the region that are as well, look to him for leadership and guidance. The Saudi Crown Prince had accused Erdogan as attempting to “reinstate the Islamic Caliphate” of the previous Ottoman Empire.

The Crown Prince is a vital piece of the coalition in rejecting the ideas of the Islamist coalition in the Middle East. By revealing the details of the murder of journalist Khashoggi, Erdogan is sending a wave of anxiety towards the Crown Prince and his hopes of suppressing the Islamists.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have worked closely together to outlaw the Islamic Brotherhood type of political parties and terrorist groups. And last year, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates worked to isolate Qatar due to the country’s support for the Brotherhood Islamists.

There has been evident hostility between Turkey and the Emirates and Saudi Arabia since the Arab Spring. Some have noted that Turkey may be using the Khashoggi affair to get Saudi Arabia to rethink current deals that have helped to crash the Turkish currency.

The Saudi government has spent the last year positioning itself to be the key ally in the Middle East to the U.S. and other Western nations. During this time, Erdogan and Trump were having staunching disagreements and attacks over the jailing of an American pastor which concluded with strong sanctions and a horrible relationship with the U.S.

For Ankara, the death of Khashoggi came at a great time, being that it was the day after Erdogan speech stating his ambition for regional leadership. He used the murder of the Saudi journalist to prove that the U.S.-Saudi relationship was morally unjustified. Because Turkey took it under their power to release key information and hype up the gruesome death, the public and media of the West were outraged, thus affecting the alliance between the West and the Saudi’s.

It is important to note that Saudi Arabia and Turkey are both authoritarian regimes where gruesome murders committed by the government are a regular occurrence. Saudi Arabia still beheads people as punishment for crimes against the state. Turkey is known for suppressing the media and holding many journalists hostage, much like the Saudi government did with Khashoggi.

It is ironic that Erdogan, who strongly opposes the media, could find himself to be the greatest beneficiary of the Western outcry over the death of a journalist.

Photo courtesy of apnews.com.