David Beckham has been slammed for “hypocrisy” after presenting an Earthshot Prize in Boston regardless of his ongoing controversy over his ambassadorship of Qatar.
The soccer champion has been a lightning rod for criticism on the World Cup after he signed a $A277 million deal to develop into the face of Qatar for a decade as of 2021.
While the soccer has been glittering on the turf, the Qatar World Cup had been slammed because of the host nation’s human rights document, together with the reported dying of over 6000 migrant employees constructing the stadiums for the event and homosexuality being deemed unlawful within the Gulf state and punishable by imprisonment.
But Beckham has attracted extra criticism after he attended Prince William’s Earthshot Prize ceremony in Boston.
The Earthshot Prize awards 5 winners every year for his or her contributions to environmentalism, awarding a million kilos every so the winners could proceed their work.
The winners attended the awards remotely to be able to scale back their carbon footprint, however the gala was a star-studded occasion, with Beckham jetting in to current one of many awards.
“Good evening, everyone. I was honoured to be asked by Prince William to be part of this year’s Earthshot Prize,” Beckham stated in his speech.
“Now, I’m an optimist because humans are capable of great creativity when we collaborate.
“We create beauty in art, music, film, and of course, sport. We create things that bring us comfort in this challenging world.
“But, we also create waste. We make over 300 million tonnes of plastic per year. That’s the equivalent, in weight, to every adult on Earth.”
While Beckham was speaking a giant recreation on stage, followers at dwelling had some questions on Beckham’s personal environmental footprint.
On prime of attending World Cup matches and the Earthshot Prize, Beckham additionally flew to London for the Christmas celebration for spouse Victoria’s style model.
Beckham’s repute is in tatters after his involvement with Qatar and has been slammed for betraying his values for cash.
He defended his actions through a spokesperson, claiming: “David has been visiting Qatar regularly for over a decade and went on to play for PSG [Paris Saint-Germain], so he has seen the passion for football in the country and the long-term commitment that’s been made to hosting the World Cup and delivering a lasting legacy for the region”.
However, it has not stopped the backlash in direction of him.
Former Socceroo turned social justice campaigner Craig Foster advised WWOS final month that the world’s view of Beckham had shifted.
“For Beckham to accept the money, without in any way acknowledging his past statements, his support for LGBTI+ community, or the actual issue as it’s live today in Qatar, is really disgraceful,” Foster stated.
“There’s no question that the idea of who David Beckham is has changed.
“The LGBTI+ community may well feel used now. In portraying himself, during a period when LGBTI+ rights were foremost in social conversations, as an ally … that in itself is very positive, however it can also be seen under a different light as using the LGBTI+ community cause to build his own brand.
“Standing with them, using a slogan, sharing a hashtag, these are all very important actions, but at some point we’re all tested in our authenticity.
“And it’s in these tests when we demonstrate through our allyship. When money is on the table, sadly, human beings have difficulty being authentic. And sadly now, for David, he has become the global emblem for that in sport.”
Beckham was additionally compelled to relocate from his $A35,700 an evening lodging after followers found the place he was staying in Qatar.
