‘Inexcusable’ Beckham is playing a blinder for Qatar

The former England captain has been criticised by Human Rights Watch for his silence during the World Cup after reportedly accepting $268m to promote the Gulf state.

David Beckham, at Al Khalifa Stadium in Doha for the England v Iran match, is being paid $268m to promote Qatar. Picture: Reuters

David Beckham is playing a starring role in the World Cup as an ambassador for Qatar, meeting dignitaries and attending promotional events.

The former England captain, who is reported to be earning £150m ($268m) from his 10-year contract to promote the Gulf state’s international reputation, has been criticised by Human Rights Watch for his “inexcusable … silence” during the tournament.

While keeping a low profile with western media, which has highlighted Qatar’s human rights record, Beckham has made regular appearances in the country and attended games.

His actions are a contrast to the German players, who covered their mouths before their match against Japan in protest at being blocked from wearing an anti-discrimination rainbow armband.

Beckham, 47, started his World Cup duties last week with a video address to the Generation Amazing youth festival in Doha – staged by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which has organised the World Cup.

While keeping a low profile with western media David Beckham has made regular appearances in Qatar and attended games. Picture: Getty Images

Beckham called the tournament a “platform for progress”. He told the audience: “You share Generation Amazing’s twin passions for the game of football and for making the world a more tolerant and inclusive place.”

Two days later he was the star guest at the opening of the British government’s Garden of Great pavilion on the Corniche in the centre of Doha. Beckham, promoted as ambassadorial president of the British Fashion Council, spoke along with the London designer Foday Dumbuya about “empowerment through creativity”.

He did not respond when asked: “Do you regret this whole partnership [with the Qataris]?”

Beckham, who is understood to be staying at the Mandarin Oriental, one of Doha’s most exclusive hotels, was a star guest at Qatar’s game against Ecuador at the Al-Byat Stadium. He mixed with dignitaries such as the rulers of Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The next morning he filmed a promotional clip at a pitch in Doha with England fans, some of whom had been paid by the authorities to visit Qatar.

At England’s match against Iran, Beckham had a prime seat in a central position with leading dignitaries. After the match he walked down to join the England players’ families.

On Tuesday he met Kely Nascimento-DeLuca, the eldest daughter of Pele, who wrote: “I got to chat with Posh’s husband. Really cool guy.”

Minky Worden, the Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives, said Beckham was taking part in sportswashing. “What’s really inexcusable is his silence since this World Cup has started, when there have been acts of violence, exclusion and discrimination against either LGBT people or allies.

“You can see how all of this kowtowing to Qatar’s horrific anti-gay laws, policies and practices is poisoning football. It’s poisoning this World Cup.”

The publisher of the gay men’s magazine Attitude, Darren Styles, said on Twitter this week that he had taken down its David Beckham cover of 2002 – the first time a Premier League footballer posed for a gay magazine – from the walls of its offices

“For players, the pitch is their workplace, and it is not acceptable they (and fans and journalists) are directly faced with homophobia, harassment and discrimination in Qatar … and David Beckham is silent.”

The German football association, after the team’s protest, said: “Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice.” The German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, wore a One Love armband while watching the game against Japan in the stadium next to Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president.

Jakob Jensen, the Danish FA chief executive said the group of seven European nations including England and Wales who planned to wear the One Love armbands were looking into legal action against FIFA. The German FA claimed England was the victim of “extreme blackmail” by FIFA before announcing that captain Harry Kane would not wear the rainbow armband.

Beckham’s representatives were contacted for comment.

The Times