‘Incredibly disappointing’ – David Beckham criticised by LGBTQ+ community over World Cup role
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Published 10/11/2022 at 11:11 GMT
The former England captain has received a raft of negativity for his role as a paid ambassador for the tournament. There are widespread concerns surrounding Qatar's poor human rights record and for the country's intolerance towards same-sex relationships, which are illegal in the Arab state. The World Cup kicks off in ten days time when Qatar play Ecuador.
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The LGBTQ+ community have criticised David Beckham for his role as a paid ambassador for the Qatar World Cup, following comments from the Three Lions Pride Group.
Beckham will reportedly receive £150million for his work to promote the tournament, and co-founder Di Cunningham was saddened by Beckham’s decision to seemingly put money before principles.
Same-sex relationships are illegal under Qatari law and the lack of acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community has created huge unease ahead of the tournament, which begins on November 20.
There has been plenty of activism surrounding these human rights and LGBTQ issues, following the release of a social media video addressing these topics by the Australia squad, while Hummel have manufactured two protest plain kits for Denmark to wear at the tournament.
“One of the difficulties is having people taking the money in order to promote Qatar and the World Cup,” said Cunningham at a Sport & Alliance press briefing.
“I’m just so disappointed because we – the LGBTQ+ football family – have put David Beckham on a pedestal, as a great ally.
“And then it turns out that he’s taking a lot of money to be an ambassador for this World Cup, and that’s incredibly disappointing. So I really hope that the message has got through that people will be criticised for that.”
Cunnigham’s comments were supported by Minky Worden from Human Rights Watch, and urged FIFA to carefully consider the hosts of major tournaments when assessing their human rights records.
“Athletes are effectively hostages,” she said.
“They are lashed to the ship of FIFA and they have to go wherever the World Cup or the Club World Cup goes. And I think for many fans, athletes and others, the last decade has been a very bitter lesson.
“There can never again be a World Cup that does not uphold basic human rights and puts athletes whose job is their place of work in the invidious position of having to fear for their identity.
“We should never again have a World Cup that fails to respect basic human rights and has none of the expected assurances and protections.”
England begin their World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21, before a match with USA four days later.
Gareth Southgate’s side then play their final group stage match in a Home Nations clash against Wales on November 29.
Southgate will reveal his final 26-man squad for the tournament on Thursday afternoon, as the Three Lions aim to better their semi-final appearance in 2018.
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