Robert Rinder has questioned whether David Beckham’s involvement is about ‘money over morals’ (Picture: Rex)
Rob Rinder has become the latest star to scrutinise David Beckham over his involvement with the Qatar World Cup, claiming it is choosing ‘money over morals’.
Former England footballer Beckham was announced as an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar on November 20.
However, human rights groups have condemned the Middle Eastern nation over their laws against the LGBTQ+ community, while others have highlighted the treatment of women and local workers.
Last year, an investigation that revealed over 6,500 workers had died while working on preparation for the World Cup.
Beckham, 47, confirmed his reported £10million deal with an advert promoting Qatar tourism released in September ahead of the sporting event.
Sharing his thoughts on the football icon’s involvement, Rinder – who is openly gay – told the Daily Mail on Sunday: ‘There should be basic requirements before you are entitled to [host] them, and that’s not just about LGBTQ.
Rinder, who is openly gay, called out Qatar’s laws against the LGBTQ+ community (Picture: Rex Features)
Beckham recently appeared in advert promoting Qatar tourism and describing the country as ‘incredible’ (Picture: Qatar Stopover)
‘It’s about the 6,500 workers who died, it’s about the fact that Beckham’s daughter Harper would not be able to continue with her education [if she was Qatari] without the permission of a male relative.’
The barrister, 44, went on to describe the World Cup being held in the country as ‘tragic’ and claimed ‘this is about money, not about the purity or love of the game’, reportedly adding that it’s choosing ‘money over morals’.
Former footballer Eric Cantona recently branded Beckham’s decision to agree to become an ambassador a ‘big, big mistake’, while the Labour Party is preparing to boycott this year’s World Cup.
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In his promo video, Beckham raved about the country which he described as ‘incredible’ and said he ‘can’t wait’ to take his children back despite its human rights record.
With scenes of him exploring Qatar, he said: ‘It’s another beautiful day here in Qatar. This will go down as one of my favourite mornings. People in Qatar are very proud of their culture. The modern and traditional fuse to create something really special.’
He added: ‘Qatar really is an incredible place to spend a few days on a stopover. I cannot wait to bring my children back.’
Concerns have also been raised about how LGBTQ+ fans will be treated during the competition.
However, gay football fans have been told they should feel safe to show each other affection once the competition gets under way, its chief organiser Nasser Al Khater has insisted.
Metro.co.uk has reached out to David Beckham’s reps for comment.
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Human rights groups have highlighted Qatar’s laws against the LGBTQ+ community.