BLAST has been criticized for links with the authorities of the United Arab Emirates

Danish tournament operator BLAST has come under fire for its ties to the authoritarian authorities in the United Arab Emirates. According to dr.dk, the relationship between the tournament organizer, Abu Dhabi Gaming, and the Danish government is causing bewilderment on the faces of fans. In particular, community representatives have raised serious concerns about the government's partial ownership of BLAST and how Danish taxpayer funds end up being used to help the authoritarian regime.

The Danish government, which owns approximately 20-30% of BLAST through a state-owned investment fund known as Vækstfonden, is reportedly supporting the authoritarian regime in the United Arab Emirates with public funds. This conclusion is drawn from BLAST's three-year deal with Abu Dhabi Gaming, the country's "government initiative" that has been widely criticized for its frequent human rights violations.

Notably, state-owned investment fund Vækstfonden provided a response on the matter, stating that the fund does not publicly comment on specific deals it makes with companies that receive investments, but if anything comes to their attention, a private investigation will be held.

The fund does not invest in the United Arab Emirates, but focuses on investing in Danish companies that generate economic growth and jobs in Denmark. We can't go into the details of specific investments, but in general it's important for the companies we fund to be relevant to the community that is relevant to business activity. Our approach as a funding partner is based on dialogue and collaboration.

This is not the first time that a tournament BLAST has been publicly criticized for its association with human rights violating states in the Middle East. Three years ago, BLAST held the Pro Series Global Finals in Riff, Bahrain, a country with frequent human rights abuses. A year later, the tournament operator closed a deal with NEOM, a smart city project in Saudi Arabia, which has faced significant backlash over the country's appalling human rights record, which includes forced evictions of indigenous tribes. However, after two weeks of public controversy, BLAST pulled out of the deal with NEOM.

However, BLAST is still closely linked to the Danish Government, which is the main stumbling block. Due to the scandal that has flared up, it is possible that the state investment fund Vækstfonden will reduce its participation in the affairs of the tournament operator.