‘Hang his head in shame’ - David Beckham criticised for Qatar stance after Joe Lycett video

Former England captain David Beckham has come under fire in recent days for his role at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Beckham penned a deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the tournament for a reported £10 million. The country has been heavily criticised for its human rights record, where homosexuality is illegal in the gulf state, and Beckham has previously been viewed as an LGBT+ ally.

In a video posted on his social media pages on Sunday (13 November) Birmingham comedian Joe Lycett pledged to donate £10,000 to charities that support gay people in football if the former Manchester United midfielder pulls out of his deal with Qatar which gets underway this Sunday, 20 November.. However, Lycett said he will shred the money if he doesn’t.

Beckham is yet to respond to the challenge, but Lycett’s video has thrown the former footballer’s controversial role at the tournament back into the spotlight in recent days.

Beckham should ‘hang his head in shame’

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Journalist Andrew Pierce said Beckham should ‘hang his head in shame’ for being an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup.

He said: “As you know I don’t watch football, but I would not go to that country as a gay man because I would be very worried. As for David Beckham, he should be hanging his head in shame. He is a gay icon, hugely popular around the world, and he’s doing this for one reason: millions in the bank.”

The Independent also ran a piece saying that Qatar could be the end of Beckham as a ‘universally beloved’ figure. Musician Rod Stewart has also revealed to The Sunday Times that he turned down a lot of money to perform in Qatar.

He told the paper: “I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1m, to play there 15 months ago. I turned it down. It’s not right to go. And the Iranians should be out too for supplying arms.”

What did Lycett say?

Taking to Instagram and Twitter on Sunday (November 13), Lycett shared a video of him sitting behind £10,000. “This is a message to David Beckham. I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monty Don, to be a gay icon.

“You’re the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the gayest thing a human being can do.

“But now it’s 2022. And you signed a reported £10m deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the FIFA World Cup. Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay. Homosexuality is illegal, punishable by imprisonment and, if you’re Muslim, possibly even death.”

Lycett continued to say “If you end your relationship with Qatar, I’ll donate this £10,000 of my own money, as a grand for every million you’re reportedly getting, to charities that support queer people in football.

“However, if you do not, by midday next Sunday [20 November] I will throw this money into a shredder just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it live on a website I’ve registered called benderslikebeckham.com.”