SURVEY FOR: Sportswashing: how has Formula 1 experienced reputational degradation from racing in the Middle East? A Public Relations Case Study.
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PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET

Title: Sportswashing: how has Formula 1 experienced reputational degradation from racing in the Middle East? A Public Relations Case Study.

You are being invited to take part in a research project.  Before you decide whether or not to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being undertaken and what it will involve.  Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others, if you wish. 

Thank you for reading this.

1. What is the purpose of this research project?

Hello, I am a postgraduate student conducting research for a student dissertation. This project aims to measure the opinions of fans, such as yourself, regarding Formula 1 racing in Middle Eastern countries containing human rights violations. This practice has been labelled 'sportswashing'. This project intends to analyse fan and media perspectives from a public relations angle in order to understand how the image of the sport has been affected by these allegations.  For the purpose of this study, and your understanding, please adhere to the following definition of sportswashing when considering your answers:

'The willful manipulation of sporting events to launder a reputation’ (Dooley 2022, p.3).

Additionally, when thinking about human rights, and their violation, please answer according to your thoughts based on the below definition:

'Human rights are standards that recognize and protect the dignity of all human beings' (Amnesty International 2022).

The aims of the study, as outlined above, will be achieved through gaining data on your knowledge of human rights in the Middle East and your feelings regarding 'sportswashing' in F1. The data will be analysed in an attempt to measure reputational degradation to the sport and formulate recommendations pertaining to image repair. You are as such invited to take part as a survey sample of Formula 1 fans is required in this study.

2. Why have I been invited to take part?

You have been invited because your presence on a Formula 1 related social media page indicates you are a fan of the sport. As such, you are likely to fulfil the sample requirement for this study.

3. Do I have to take part?

No, your participation in this research project is entirely voluntary and it is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you decide to take part, I will discuss the research project with you and ask you to indicate your consent below the consent form. If you decide not to take part, you do not have to explain your reasons and it will not affect your legal rights.

You are free to withdraw your consent to participate in the research project at any time, without giving a reason, even after signing the consent form.

4. What will taking part involve?

The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete and consists of 14 questions. You will first be asked basic demographic questions followed by questions regarding your fanhood of F1, human rights in the Middle East, and how you feel about F1 operating in this region. You will mostly provide your answers based on indicating your agreement/disagreement towards a series of statements. At the end of the survey is an opportunity to openly discuss your feelings regarding the topic in a non-restrictive format- via question 14. You may refrain from answering any question outside of those concerning consent. Note that both consent questions are compulsory and requisite to submitting the survey should you wish to.

5. Will I be paid for taking part?

No. You should understand that any data you give will be as a gift and you will not benefit financially in the future should this research project lead to the development of a new treatment/method/test/assessment.

6. What are the possible benefits of taking part?

There will be no direct advantages or benefits to you from taking part, but your contribution will help us understand the reputational damage to Formula 1 as a result of sportswashing accusations. This will inform recommendations pertaining to best practice in the sports PR industry.

7. What are the possible risks of taking part?

There are no considerable risks of physical harm in this this study. Please be aware that due to the discussion of human rights within this research project there may be a danger of psychological harm should these topics distress you.

8. Will my taking part in this research project be kept confidential?

All information collected from (or about) you during the research project will be kept confidential and any personal information you provide will be managed in accordance with data protection legislation. Please see ‘What will happen to my Personal Data?’ (below) for further information.  

9. What will happen to my Personal Data?

All survey data is anonymous and stored on a private, password protected, device accessible only by the researcher. Personal data gathered in this survey is demographic in nature and is as follows:

-       Your gender

-       Your age bracket

-       Your level of successfully completed education

The results of this survey, including the personal data outlined above, will be transferred to Microsoft Excel for analysis. The survey results will subsequently be subject to data analysis to address the research aims. The survey results will be discussed in section 4 (analysis and discussion) of the Cardiff University research dissertation which underpins this survey

Cardiff University is the Data Controller and is committed to respecting and protecting your personal data in accordance with your expectations and Data Protection legislation. Further information about Data Protection, including:

-       your rights

-       the legal basis under which Cardiff University processes your personal data for research

-       Cardiff University’s Data Protection Policy

-       how to contact the Cardiff University Data Protection Officer

-       how to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office

may be found at https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/public-information/policies-and-procedures/data-protection

The processing of your submitted personal data will be undertaken over a one-week period in late August 2022.

After this one-week time frame, the researcher will anonymise all the personal data it has collected from, or about, you in connection with this research project, with the exception of your consent form. Your consent form will be retained for 1 year following dissertation submission in September 2022 and may be accessed by members of the research team and, where necessary, by members of the University’s governance and audit teams or by regulatory authorities. Anonymised information will be kept for a minimum of one year following dissertation submission in September 2022 but may be published in support of the research project and/or retained indefinitely, where it is likely to have continuing value for research purposes.

If you choose to withdraw from the research prior to survey completion, your personal data will not be recorded. If you indicate that you do not consent in either consent certifications, and subsequently submit your survey, your response will be disregarded. Note that it will not be possible to withdraw any anonymised data that has already been published or in some cases, where identifiers are irreversibly removed during the course of a research project, from the point at which it has been anonymised.

10.What happens to the data at the end of the research project?

After the end of this research project, the data will not be made publicly available, shared within or outside of Cardiff University. Any future research using the data will be limited to research in public relations and communications. The data will not be shared via a data repository and will not be openly accessible to others.

11.What will happen to the results of the research project?

The submission for this student dissertation will be completed by 7th September 2022. If you would like to receive a copy of the student dissertation once completed, of which your submitted data helped facilitate, please email the researcher using the address in section 15 of this form. It is our intention to publish the results of this research project in academic journals and present findings at conferences.  Participants will not be identified in any report, publication, or presentation. Your response to question 14 may be quoted verbatim within the project. If this is the case, you will be referred to by a participant number.

12.What if there is a problem?

Should you wish to raise a complaint or have an issue with this research project, please email the researcher at:

Davisj17@cardiff.ac.uk

Jack Davis

If you wish to complain or have grounds for concerns about any aspect of the manner in which you have been approached or treated during the course of this research, please contact Jack Davis at Davisj17@cardiff.ac.uk .Your complaint will be attempted to be directly and promptly addressed and dealt with in a manner satisfactory to you. However, if your complaint is not managed to your satisfaction, please contact the Chair of JOMEC’s Research Ethics Committee) (Dr Damian Carney) via CarneyD@cardiff.ac.uk.

If you are harmed by taking part in this research project, there are no special compensation arrangements.  If you are harmed due to someone's negligence, you may have grounds for legal action, but you may have to pay for it. 

13. Who is organising and funding this research project?

The research is organised by Jack Davis (student researcher), Richard Thomas (academic dissertation supervisor to the student researcher),  and JOMEC school  in Cardiff University The research is currently not funded.

14. Who has reviewed this research project?

This research project has been reviewed and given a favorable opinion by the JOMEC Research Ethics Committee.

15.Further information and contact details

Should you have any questions relating to this research project, you may contact the researcher during normal working hours:

Name: Jack Davis

Cardiff University Email: DavisJ17@Cardiff.ac.uk

Thank you for considering to take part in this research project. If you decide to participate, you will be given a copy of the Participant Information Sheet and a signed consent form to keep for your records.

You may print this consent form through Google Forms. 

*References for the above definitions: 

- Amnesty International, 2022. What are human rights?. [online] Amnesty.org.uk. Available at: <https://www.amnesty.org.uk/what-are-human-rights [Accessed 7 August 2022].

- Dooley, B.D., 2022. Sportswashing: The 2022 Beijing Olympics. In SAGE Business Cases. SAGE Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals. 

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1. To which gender identity do you most align with?
Clear selection
2. What is your age?
Clear selection
3. Please specify the highest level of education that you have successfully completed.
Clear selection
4. Please rate from 1 to 10 how strongly you identify as a fan of Formula 1.
Very casual fan
Very passionate fan
Clear selection
5. For how long in years have you identified as a fan of Formula 1 and followed the sport?
Clear selection
6. Please indicate the extent of your knowledge to human rights controversies in the Middle East race countries prior to this survey.
Very limited knowledge
Very extensive knowledge
Clear selection
7. 'I am against the decision to host Formula 1 races in the Middle East due to the human rights issues present in the chosen countries'. Please tick the box which most resembles your opinion regarding this statement.  
Clear selection
8. 'I believe that Formula 1 values the monetary incentive involved with racing in the Middle East too much to care about the human rights issues there'. Please tick the box which most resembles your opinion regarding this statement.
Clear selection
9. 'I feel Formula 1 has a responsibility to raise awareness and help tackle human rights issues in the Middle East, if they are to race there'. Please tick the box which best resembles your opinion regarding this statement.
Clear selection
10. 'I've noticed that Formula 1 officials are making great efforts to raise awareness and help tackle human rights issues in the Middle East'. Please tick the box which most resembles your opinion regarding this statement.
Clear selection
11. 'My personal view of Formula 1 has been overall negatively impacted by the decision to host races in the Middle East, due to the human rights issues there'. Please tick the box which most resembles your opinion regarding this statement.  
Clear selection
12. I believe sport and politics/social issues should be separate'. Please tick the box which best resembles your opinion regarding this statement.
Clear selection
13. 'I have noticed a considerable amount of media coverage discussing Formula 1 in the Middle East in a negative light'. Please tick the box which best resembles your opinion regarding this statement.
Clear selection
14. In depth responses are vital to this study in measuring and understanding fan perspectives on this issue. Please use the text box below to explain your thoughts regarding Formula 1 racing in the Middle East, the impact this may have on human rights issues there, and how this has/has not affected the reputation of the sport in your eyes.
FORM SUBMISSION


PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET

Title: Sportswashing: how has Formula 1 experienced reputational degradation from racing in the Middle East? A Public Relations Case Study.

You are being invited to take part in a research project.  Before you decide whether or not to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being undertaken and what it will involve.  Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others, if you wish. 

Thank you for reading this.

1. What is the purpose of this research project?

Hello, I am a postgraduate student conducting research for a student dissertation. This project aims to measure the opinions of fans, such as yourself, regarding Formula 1 racing in Middle Eastern countries containing human rights violations. This practice has been labelled 'sportswashing'. This project intends to analyse fan and media perspectives from a public relations angle in order to understand how the image of the sport has been affected by these allegations.  For the purpose of this study, and your understanding, please adhere to the following definition of sportswashing when considering your answers:

'The willful manipulation of sporting events to launder a reputation’ (Dooley 2022, p.3).

Additionally, when thinking about human rights, and their violation, please answer according to your thoughts based on the below definition:

'Human rights are standards that recognize and protect the dignity of all human beings' (Amnesty International 2022).

The aims of the study, as outlined above, will be achieved through gaining data on your knowledge of human rights in the Middle East and your feelings regarding 'sportswashing' in F1. The data will be analysed in an attempt to measure reputational degradation to the sport and formulate recommendations pertaining to image repair. You are as such invited to take part as a survey sample of Formula 1 fans is required in this study.

2. Why have I been invited to take part?

You have been invited because your presence on a Formula 1 related social media page indicates you are a fan of the sport. As such, you are likely to fulfil the sample requirement for this study.

3. Do I have to take part?

No, your participation in this research project is entirely voluntary and it is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you decide to take part, I will discuss the research project with you and ask you to indicate your consent below the consent form. If you decide not to take part, you do not have to explain your reasons and it will not affect your legal rights.

You are free to withdraw your consent to participate in the research project at any time, without giving a reason, even after signing the consent form.

4. What will taking part involve?

The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete and consists of 14 questions. You will first be asked basic demographic questions followed by questions regarding your fanhood of F1, human rights in the Middle East, and how you feel about F1 operating in this region. You will mostly provide your answers based on indicating your agreement/disagreement towards a series of statements. At the end of the survey is an opportunity to openly discuss your feelings regarding the topic in a non-restrictive format- via question 14. You may refrain from answering any question outside of those concerning consent. Note that both consent questions are compulsory and requisite to submitting the survey should you wish to.

5. Will I be paid for taking part?

No. You should understand that any data you give will be as a gift and you will not benefit financially in the future should this research project lead to the development of a new treatment/method/test/assessment.

6. What are the possible benefits of taking part?

There will be no direct advantages or benefits to you from taking part, but your contribution will help us understand the reputational damage to Formula 1 as a result of sportswashing accusations. This will inform recommendations pertaining to best practice in the sports PR industry.

7. What are the possible risks of taking part?

There are no considerable risks of physical harm in this this study. Please be aware that due to the discussion of human rights within this research project there may be a danger of psychological harm should these topics distress you.

8. Will my taking part in this research project be kept confidential?

All information collected from (or about) you during the research project will be kept confidential and any personal information you provide will be managed in accordance with data protection legislation. Please see ‘What will happen to my Personal Data?’ (below) for further information.  

9. What will happen to my Personal Data?

All survey data is anonymous and stored on a private, password protected, device accessible only by the researcher. Personal data gathered in this survey is demographic in nature and is as follows:

-       Your gender

-       Your age bracket

-       Your level of successfully completed education

The results of this survey, including the personal data outlined above, will be transferred to Microsoft Excel for analysis. The survey results will subsequently be subject to data analysis to address the research aims. The survey results will be discussed in section 4 (analysis and discussion) of the Cardiff University research dissertation which underpins this survey

Cardiff University is the Data Controller and is committed to respecting and protecting your personal data in accordance with your expectations and Data Protection legislation. Further information about Data Protection, including:

-       your rights

-       the legal basis under which Cardiff University processes your personal data for research

-       Cardiff University’s Data Protection Policy

-       how to contact the Cardiff University Data Protection Officer

-       how to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office

may be found at https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/public-information/policies-and-procedures/data-protection

The processing of your submitted personal data will be undertaken over a one-week period in late August 2022.

After this one-week time frame, the researcher will anonymise all the personal data it has collected from, or about, you in connection with this research project, with the exception of your consent form. Your consent form will be retained for 1 year following dissertation submission in September 2022 and may be accessed by members of the research team and, where necessary, by members of the University’s governance and audit teams or by regulatory authorities. Anonymised information will be kept for a minimum of one year following dissertation submission in September 2022 but may be published in support of the research project and/or retained indefinitely, where it is likely to have continuing value for research purposes.

If you choose to withdraw from the research prior to survey completion, your personal data will not be recorded. If you indicate that you do not consent in either consent certifications, and subsequently submit your survey, your response will be disregarded. Note that it will not be possible to withdraw any anonymised data that has already been published or in some cases, where identifiers are irreversibly removed during the course of a research project, from the point at which it has been anonymised.

10.What happens to the data at the end of the research project?

After the end of this research project, the data will not be made publicly available, shared within or outside of Cardiff University. Any future research using the data will be limited to research in public relations and communications. The data will not be shared via a data repository and will not be openly accessible to others.

11.What will happen to the results of the research project?

The submission for this student dissertation will be completed by 7th September 2022. If you would like to receive a copy of the student dissertation once completed, of which your submitted data helped facilitate, please email the researcher using the address in section 15 of this form. It is our intention to publish the results of this research project in academic journals and present findings at conferences.  Participants will not be identified in any report, publication, or presentation. Your response to question 14 may be quoted verbatim within the project. If this is the case, you will be referred to by a participant number.

12.What if there is a problem?

Should you wish to raise a complaint or have an issue with this research project, please email the researcher at:

Davisj17@cardiff.ac.uk

Jack Davis

If you wish to complain or have grounds for concerns about any aspect of the manner in which you have been approached or treated during the course of this research, please contact Jack Davis at Davisj17@cardiff.ac.uk .Your complaint will be attempted to be directly and promptly addressed and dealt with in a manner satisfactory to you. However, if your complaint is not managed to your satisfaction, please contact the Chair of JOMEC’s Research Ethics Committee) (Dr Damian Carney) via CarneyD@cardiff.ac.uk.

If you are harmed by taking part in this research project, there are no special compensation arrangements.  If you are harmed due to someone's negligence, you may have grounds for legal action, but you may have to pay for it. 

13. Who is organising and funding this research project?

The research is organised by Jack Davis (student researcher), Richard Thomas (academic dissertation supervisor to the student researcher),  and JOMEC school  in Cardiff University The research is currently not funded.

14. Who has reviewed this research project?

This research project has been reviewed and given a favorable opinion by the JOMEC Research Ethics Committee.

15.Further information and contact details

Should you have any questions relating to this research project, you may contact the researcher during normal working hours:

Name: Jack Davis

Cardiff University Email: DavisJ17@Cardiff.ac.uk

Thank you for considering to take part in this research project. If you decide to participate, you will be given a copy of the Participant Information Sheet and a signed consent form to keep for your records.

You may print this consent form through Google Forms. 

*References for the above definitions: 

- Amnesty International, 2022. What are human rights?. [online] Amnesty.org.uk. Available at: <https://www.amnesty.org.uk/what-are-human-rights [Accessed 7 August 2022].

- Dooley, B.D., 2022. Sportswashing: The 2022 Beijing Olympics. In SAGE Business Cases. SAGE Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals. 

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