British soccer legend David Beckham is facing backlash on social media for doing a 30-minute “Visit Qatar” video after years of claiming to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. The promotional video shows Beckham riding a motorcycle, sailing a yacht and visiting a spice market as he calls Qatar “perfection,” in spite of the country’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The criticism comes as Beckham previously has marketed himself as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community by posing for Gay magazines and posting rainbow flags on his Instagram.
🤡 David Beckham historically posting the Rainbow Flag on Instagram.
— Jamie Jenkins (@statsjamie) August 30, 2022
💥 Now the face of Qatar – where homosexuality comes with punishment of up to 3 years in prison and a fine and the possibility of death penalty for Muslims
Not that he needs the cash but £10m in the bank helps pic.twitter.com/eyxdnta7ah
Same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar and being caught can lead to up to 7 years in prison. LGBTQ+ advocates have pledged to boycott the upcoming World Cup in Qatar as local authorities have failed to guarantee the safety of LGBTQ+ spectators and athletes there.
The 2022 FIFA world cup is scheduled for a November start in Qatar and the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is only one of the reasons human rights activists are concerned. Women’s rights groups are also displeased with FIFA’s decision to hold the tournament in a country where women need a “male guardian’s” consent before getting married. Human rights activists are also concerned as a report by the Guardian has revealed that 6,500 people have died during the construction of the country’s new stadiums in preparation for the tournament.
David Beckham has yet to comment on the backlash but reportedly received 10 million euros for making the ad.