AEW President Tony Khan was one of the many names who participated in the post-Full Gear media scrum, where Khan answered a number of pro-wrestling related questions and gave input on the promotion’s future.
At one point in the interview Khan took the time to defend his father, Shahid Khan, for purchasing a Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto back in 2016 from the Kingdom Holding Company, which is based in Saudi Arabia. Khan brought this up because of the online backlash he has received, with many comparing his father’s business dealing to WWE’s relationship with the Saudi government, something he says is completely different. Highlights are below.
Says his father’s deal was with an individual and not the government:
“I’ve been wanting to say something for a long time, I’m just going to say it. I’ve never brought this up, but I see people say stuff online, and me bringing this up will probably make it worse – but I’m gonna say it anyway. My dad bought Four Seasons from a Saudi person (Kingdom Holding Company) five years ago, and that is the beginning and the end of it. It is very much an apples and oranges thing – when you compare the ongoing business relationship (between WWE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) to what my dad did, which was purchasing a property from an individual, not the government.”
How it’s very different from WWE’s business deals with Saudi Arabia:
“But I see people say stuff like, ‘oh, Shad Khan does business with Saudi Arabia.’ That’s bulls–t. I’ve seen people bring this up online for years, and they are wrong. My dad is not involved in ongoing businesses, he just bought the hotel years ago. It’s very different to what’s going on with that part of the world (with WWE).”
(H/T and transcribed by Wrestling Inc.)