The upcoming World Cup in Qatar has given us all plenty of reasons to be remembered and this is even before the first kick of the ball in the tournament.
Right from winning the bid via a bribe to the timeline of the tournament and it being in the middle of the season, the Cup is creating headlines for wrong reasons and wrong reasons only.
Among other things like cost and climate, human rights and LGBT issues have been the most prominent points of contention among supporters, players and pundits alike.
Many who’s who of the footballing world have already spoken against the tournament and FIFA.
Leon Goretzka, Toni Kroos and Joshua Kimmich are just some of the players who have raised their voices against the Middle-East state hosting the tournament.
Pundits too have been vocal, France legend Theirry Henry and former United player Eric Cantona being two of them.
And it’s not just on an individual level.
Sportswear manufacturer Hummel recently unveiled Denmark’s jerseys wherein the logos were not clearly visible, as a form of protest against Qatar as a host and all the problems that have come with it.
This shirt carries with it a message.
We don't wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives.
We support the Danish national team all the way, but that isn't the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation. pic.twitter.com/7bgMgK7WzS
Another former Manchester United player who has not been afraid to speak out is Gary Neville.
Neville shot a documentary named Countdown to Qatar, where he raised issues related to migrant workers and their treatment in the Gulf country.
“The wealth in this country and that level of accommodation for people, with the sacrifice they are making. It’s just inequality like you would not believe. It’s staggering really. This is not a home”, Neville says in the video.
In a follow-up release, named Gary Neville in Qatar, which was shot back in 2019, the former player displays visible horror at the horrific treatment of the workers who are laying the groundwork for the tournament.
So it came as a major surprise when Gary announced, via Twitter, that he would be working for Qatari-owned beIN Sports during the World Cup.
Yes I’m going to the World Cup and yes working for ITV and Bein. I will highlight those issues like I have for years! https://t.co/QeFipUvZaP
For a person who has been so vocal and upfront about the unacceptable things happening in Qatar, it feels very hypocritical to end up working under the same boss.
While Neville mentions that he will use this platform and continue to highlight the issues he has done previously, we highly doubt that.
Can you really criticise a country on one hand and get money from them on the other? Not really.
Twitter has been very critical of Neville’s move, accusing him of selling himself out for money.
So Twitter Saint Garry Neville has signed up to work for Qatari tv.
I suppose human rights suddenly do not matter when you get offered a few million quid… 🤔
— Emily Hewertson 🇬🇧🏴 (@emilyhewertson) October 6, 2022
Gary Neville has signed a deal to work for Qatari TV.
He spends most of his time virtue-signalling on issues like LGBT+ rights and attacking the Tories for not being progressive enough.
But clearly none of that matters to him as soon as he gets offered a few million pounds.
It does make you a hypocrite @GNev2 , come on now. I’m guessing it’s a six figure sum, why would you need to receive that from the state broadcaster of a country that you call out for human rights abuses?
As Gary Neville the new darling of the Labour Party signs up for the Qatari Rial, never has it been more true than money can buy anything except integrity.
