Joe Lycett publicly urges ‘gay icon’ David Beckham to drop £10million Qatar World Cup deal – The Mirror
Comedian Joe Lycett has publicly urged David Beckham to drop his £10 million partnership with the World Cup in Qatar – where homosexuality is illegal.
Over the years the footballer has become a gay icon, becoming one of the first sports stars to pose for gay magazines such as Attitude.
He has also cultivated a gay fanbase, supported gay charities and married a Spice Girl which Joe said was ‘the gayest thing you can do’.
The comic has offered to donate £10,000 of his own money to queer charities if David ends his sponsorship deal before the World Cup starts on November 20.
If he doesn’t, Joe revealed he will shred the money on the morning on the opening day of the tournament.
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In a message posted on his social media accounts and new website benderslikebeckham.com, Joe told fans: “This is a message to David Beckham.
“I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monty Don, to be a gay icon.
“You were 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’ve signed a reported £10million deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the FIFA World Cup.”
Explaining why he is so against this, Joe continued: “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.”
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Appealing to David’s better nature, Joe said: “You have always talked about the power of football as a force for good, which suggests to me you have never seen West Brom.
“But generally I agree – so with that in mind, I’m giving you a choice
“If you end your relationship with Qatar I will donate ten grand of my own money (that’s a grand for every million you’re reportedly getting) to charities that support queer people in football.
“However, if you do not I will throw the money into a shredder at midday next Sunday, just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it right here. Not just the money, but also your status as a gay icon will be shredded.”
Joe added: “Also, you’ll be forcing me to commit what might be a crime. Although even then, I reckon I’ll get off more lightly than I would if I got caught whacking off a lad in Doha.”
He ended the post: “The choice is yours. I look forward to hearing from you.”
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In the past David, who earned the nicknamed Golden Balls during his time playing for England, has said he is “very honoured to have the tag of gay icon”.
Having a combined fortune of £450million with wife Victoria means he also doesn’t really need the money.
Di Cunningham, co-founder of Three Lions Pride, has criticised ambassadors including Beckham for their role in promoting the World Cup in Qatar.
She said: “One of the difficulties we’re having is people taking the money in order to promote Qatar, to promote the World Cup.
“We’re just so disappointed because the LGBTQ+ community has had David Beckham on a pedestal as a great ally, and then it turns out he’s an ambassador for this World Cup and that’s incredibly disappointing. So I hope the message has got through that people will be criticised for that.”
The group won’t be travelling to Qatar for the tournament over fears for their safety once they are in the Middle Eastern country.
“There’s no sign, as there was in Russia (at the 2018 World Cup), of any kind of appetite to relax or review the toxic environment there is for LGBTQ+ and other minority groups,” Di continued.
“It’s wrong on so many levels. It was wrong when the decision was made, and it’s still very, very wrong. There’s not been any progress and just vocal reassurance from FIFA and from the Supreme Committee… it’s just not enough.”
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