Thomas Hitzlsperger says he couldn’t work in Qatar for the World Cup – Daily Mail
Thomas Hitzlsperger has admitted he wouldn’t have been able to accept a role in Qatar as a pundit during the World Cup due to not being able to criticise the World Cup hosts.
Hitzlsperger became the first Premier League footballer to become openly gay shortly after his retirement and will be covering the World Cup this winter for German TV, albeit from a studio in Mainz.
Hitzlsperger believes working in Qatar would compromise any potentially negative opinions a person may have on the country and the state’s highly criticised record in regards to human rights abuses.
He stated had he been offered a role working in Qatar as a football pundit he would not have been able to take it on.
‘If I had the option, I wouldn’t: it just doesn’t feel right after what I have seen, the things I have said in public,’ he told the Guardian.
‘You can’t be paid by Qatar or FIFA and at the same time criticise them, it doesn’t make sense.
Thomas Hitzlsperger admits he would not be able to work in Qatar to cover the World Cup
‘You see the world we live in: how sick it is that we allowed Qatar to buy the right to send pictures to the world for four weeks, presenting themselves as something they’re not. It’s not just sad, it’s sick.
The 40-year-old who starred for West Ham United, Aston Villa and Everton as well as picking up 52 caps for Germany also questioned the effectiveness of the One Love rainbow armband to be worn by 10 captains, including England’s Harry Kane at the World Cup.
Being homosexual is illegal in Qatar and the armband is a symbol of protest to be worn to highlight the discrimination shown by the host nation towards the LGBT+ community.
HItzlsperger will be covering the tournament in Qatar (above) from Mainz in Germany
But Hitzlsperger believe it is a weak compromise where flying the rainbow flag to represent the LGBT+ community would demonstrate a much stronger message.
‘The original idea was to get together among the European federations and come up with the best idea,’ he added.
‘But the end product is an armband that possibly means a lot but doesn’t upset anybody. It becomes generic, people go: “What does it mean?” Then they move on. It doesn’t start a debate. We know the rainbow flag symbol upsets people. People know what it stands for – and some in Qatar don’t like it so much. That’s stronger.”’
Hitzlpserger also feels the OneLove armband to be worn by many nations is ‘not enough’
Hitzlsperger’s comments come just days after reporters were involved in alterations with Qatari officials in the build up to the tournament.
A Danish reporter’s was threatened by a Qatari official of having his camera destroyed while reporting live on TV, before Supreme Committee quickly offer apology amid criticism.
The Denmark team are already staging an on-pitch protest throughout the World Cup after kit supplier Hummel unveiled a strip for the tournament where their logo as well as the Denmark team badge will be red like the kit to reduce their visibility.