Is it Morally Right to Participate?: Kendo and the 2023 World Combat Games in Saudi Arabia.

The 3rd World Combat Games will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (KSA) October 21-30, 2023. The games were founded by Sport Accord (now known as GAISF – Global Association of International Sport Federations). Kendo has participated since the 1st games were held in 2010 in China and the 2nd, held in 2013 in Russia. The extent of human rights violations of these hosting countries have surfaced in recent years. Saudi Arabia is arguably more violently authoritarian in terms of women’s and LGBTIQ + people’s legal rights.

Saudi Arabia has drawn much attention to itself recently in light of the ”sport washing” or the sponsoring international sport events with exorbitant amounts of money to improve its international standing and presence. KSA’s tourist authority’s proposed sponsorship of the FIFA women’s world cup has bewildered and angered hosting federations and female athletes. On the proposed sponsorship deal, one of football’s greatest, Alex Morgan commented “morally, it doesn’t make sense”.

Saudi Arabia’s absolute monarchy restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties. Women and LGBTQI + people’s liberties are restricted by law and dissent can have grievous consequences. Regarding women’s rights, under the male guardianship system women are treated as legal minors. It is illegal to be LGBTQI + in KSA and the punishment for being so is abhorrent. Those who break the law are often served with lengthy jail terms, during which they can be tortured. The punishment for LGBTQI + people can be the death penalty.

Although women’s rights have slightly improved in the KSA in recent years, women who oppose oppressive laws are considered “socially incorrect” and it remains undeniable that women freedoms remain severely restricted. Dissent is insufferable as shown in the case of Salma al-Shehab who received a 34-year prison sentence for peacefully posting about women’s rights issues on social media in 2021. Women can receive lengthy prison sentences for speaking out on women’s rights, during which they can be subjected to torture and sexual harassment.

As a woman kendoka who identifies as LGBTQI +, I find it deeply troubling that affiliate federations of the International Kendo Federation (FIK) are likely to participate in the combat games in the KSA. According to government travel sites, if my sexual orientation became known to local authorities, my personal safety could be at risk. Therefore, it could be perceived that kendo federations that send fighters to the games are in support of KSU’s regime of oppression and violence against women and LGBTQI + people.

It is not certain that kendo would benefit from attending the event. In fact attendance would oppose The Purpose of Practicing Kendo which according to the International Kendo Federation (FIK) is in part:

To hold in esteem human courtesy and honour..
To associate with others with sincerity,
And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.
And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.

In considering these select sentences, how would affiliate federations and kenkoka competing under the FIK be abiding by the moral codes of kendo through attending the combat games in KSA? Do we not see ourselves as ethical people? As kendoka, we must also consider that human courtesy and honour, as well as the opportunity to engage in self-cultivation does not apply to certain corners of society in KSA. Even if kendo did start to be practiced in the KSA, who would be permitted to participate in kendo fully in accordance with the purpose of practice? Sports organisations defend participating in events in certain countries claiming sport is not political movement. However, sport organisations do engage in politics inadvertently with greed and power driven negligence as “sport washing” is undeniably a political strategy.

Kendo is a hobby (a serious one for some) and an amateur pursuit for most practitioners outside of Japan and Korea. In principle, we focus on self-cultivation and benevolent contribution. Unlike other many other sports and martial arts, our livelihoods do not depend on attending sporting events in countries with such miserable human right records. Why is it so important for kendo to be present at these games?

Having attended the combat games in 2010, I know from experience that the games for kendo is a promotional opportunity and the competition is similar to a festival. It is not a serious competition like the World Kendo Championships for example. For what/whose purpose would participating in the combat games serve? Attending the event would certainly not demonstrate any regard, respect, or empathy towards women’s or LGBTQI + people’s legal rights and safety in the KSA. Kendo’s participation in this event would achieve the polar opposite. It would condone the oppression and violence that the KSA inflicts on women, LGBTQI + people, and dissidents.

One of the benefits of having this platform is that women kendoka also feel that it can be used to voice their perspective. I will share an anonymous letter that I received from a woman kendoka who is understandably enraged by the prospect of the FIK’s participation in the combat games in KSA later this year.

Although there is probably little we can do to stop the games going ahead, we do have a choice whether to attend or to support the event. That choice may not have a remarkable impact on our lives, maybe some would miss out on a cost-free (and heavily restricted) sightseeing opportunity. Importantly non-attendance would make a statement that may eventually improve the harrowing circumstances that some experience daily in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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