David Beckham – who’s married to the singer’s former bandmate, Victoria – has been criticised over his reported £10million deal with the host nation.
Melanie C said she “would be uncomfortable” performing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as an ally of LGBTQ+.
The host country has faced massive condemnation for its views on homosexuality (which is illegal in Qatar), women’s rights and the death of migrant workers who built stadiums for the tournament.
As a result, many artists distanced themselves from the World Cup for 22 years, including Dua Lipa and Rod Stewart.
Meanwhile, David Beckham has faced particular criticism over a £10 million deal that he revealed he would be acting as an ambassador for the pageant - a role that is thought to contradict the star’s status as a “gay icon.”
Comedian Joel Lycett recently described Beckham’s deal as “complete nonsense”, revealing the truth about his trick with money for 10 thousand pounds.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mel C, whose former Spice Girls bandmate Victoria is married to Beckham, explained: “Personally, I am an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, and it would be uncomfortable for me to do this.
“People want to go there and help make changes. Everyone has their own, but I would refuse if an offer came.
two side-by-side images of Joe Lycett (left) and David Beckham (right)
Earlier this month, Lycett offered to donate £10,000 of his own money to an LGBT charity if Beckham broke the sponsorship deal before the start of the World Cup, and promised he would destroy the money if he did not refuse.
The comedian appears to have fulfilled the vow on Sunday (November 20) before explaining that he actually donated the money, not destroyed it.
“I never expected to hear from [Beckham],” he told viewers in the video. “It was an empty threat designed to make people talk. In many ways, it was like your deal with Qatar, David. Complete nonsense from the very beginning.”
The clip ended with Lycett destroying Beckham’s 2002 Attitude magazine cover for June 2002. This was the first time a gay magazine published a Premier League footballer on the cover.
This Monday (November 21), England defeated Iran 6-2 in their first game at the 2022 World Cup. They are scheduled to play the USA on Friday (November 25).
England coach Gareth Southgate has previously promised that his players will talk about human rights violations during the tournament. “As for the LGBT community, we stand for inclusivity, and we are very, very strong in this,” he said. “We think it’s important for all our supporters.”
However, earlier this week, England, Wales and five other countries announced they would no longer be wearing OneLove armbands at the Qatar World Cup.
