David Beckham has received harsh criticism for accepting to serve as Qatar’s ambassador as part of a £150 million contract, according to some sources.
If David Beckham does not cancel his contentious multi-million dollar World Cup promotion arrangement with Qatar, Joe Lycett has threatened to spend £10,000 of his own money.
The comedian also threatened Beckham on social media, saying that if nothing was done, “your status as a gay legend will be shredded.”
Lycett stated that he would contribute the money to organizations “that assist LGBT people in sports” if Beckham were to back out of the deal; otherwise, he would shred it.
The former England captain has previously supported LGBT supporters and athletes, but he has come under heavy fire for agreeing to serve as an ambassador for Qatar in a deal that Lycett estimated to be around £10 million but other reports have pegged at up to £150 million.
Many football fans have declared they will boycott the World Cup because Qatar forbids same-sex relationships and has a dismal human rights record.
This is a message to David Beckham, Lycett remarked in the video while sitting at a desk holding £10,000 in cash. You are a gay icon in my eyes, along with Monty Don and Kim Woodburn.
“You’re the first premiership footballer to do photos with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak freely about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the most homosexual thing a person can do,” someone once said.
“But it’s 2022 now. And to represent Qatar as their ambassador at the FIFA World Cup, you reportedly signed a £10 million contract.
One of the worst countries in the world to be gay, according to polls, is Qatar. The crime of homosexuality carries a sentence of imprisonment and, if you’re a Muslim, even death.
“In exchange for every million dollars you allegedly receive from Qatar, I’ll donate this $10,000 of my own money to organizations that aid footballers who identify as LGBT.
“If not, I will shred this money at noon on Sunday, just before the World Cup opening ceremony, and I’ll stream it live on a website I’ve registered called benderslikebeckham.com.
“Your reputation as a gay icon will also be destroyed in addition to the money. You’ll be making me break the law.”
Many people have expressed concern about the rights of spectators traveling to the event, particularly women and LGBTQ+ people who, according to advocacy groups, are subject to discrimination under Qatari law.
