Troubling video seems to indicate Socceroos legend Tim Cahill stroll out on an interview over a query concerning the Socceroos’ Qatar protests.
The Australian soccer legend has been one of many highest-profile international ambassadors for the World Cup host nation and final month formally joined the Socceroos’ camp as a training advisor with Graham Arnold and as Australia’s head of delegation on the match.
He can also be juggling his place as chief sports activities officer on the $1.3 billion Aspire Academy the place the Socceroos have been based mostly and his function as a member of the Qatar World Cup’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.
His place just lately sparked controversy and criticism — contemplating the Socceroos’ made international headlines earlier this yr as the primary group to make a unanimous assertion of condemnation of the World Cup host.
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The juggling act seems to have come to the floor in regarding video posted SBS News journalist Ben Lewis on Twitter on Monday morning.
The community’s chief worldwide correspondent posted claims Cahill walked out on the interview after being requested concerning the Socceroos’ daring stance towards Qatar’s human rights abuses.
In a prolonged Twitter thread Lewis writes he has been unable to organise any additional interview with Cahill for the reason that interview was damaged off earlier than the World Cup started on November 23.
“Before the World Cup began, I managed to secure a brief interview with @Tim_Cahill,” Lewis wrote.
“He happily answered my first two questions. This is what happened when I asked Australia’s Head of Delegation if he supported the Socceroos’ human rights video.
“The female voice you hear was a PR rep working for the event sponsor interjecting. We were told by Football Australia that Cahill would be happy to speak later in the week and he “wasn’t trying to avoid answering questions”. We talked about that truth in our story that day.
“He was scheduled to do a press conference later that week. But it was cancelled at short notice due to scheduling issues. We asked repeatedly to see if a new time could be found, to no avail.
“Cahill wears multiple hats. He was ‘Head of Delegation’ for the Socceroos. He’s the Chief Sports Officer at Aspire Centre, where they trained/stayed. He’s a ‘Qatar Legacy Ambassador’. And of course, he’s one of Australia’s greatest ever footballers.
“Anyway, the interview/presser sadly never happened. After the Socceroos made R16, Cahill released a self-shot video message talking about the result. We didn’t use it, given the many requests we had made to speak with him were rebuffed.
“We were told that when games started, he wanted the focus to be on the current players- totally fair.
“Now Australia’s brilliant run has ended, we’d still love to hear his views on working for Qatar’s organising committee and the Socceroos’ stance on human rights issues.”
Cahill, 42, sits alongside soccer icon David Beckham as among the many highest profile stars being paid to spruik the virtues of the Gulf state.
Cahill, Spanish legend Xavi, Cameroon nice Samuel Eto’o and Brazilian icon Cafu — all ambassadors for Qatar 2022 — should all be grateful that Beckham has largely shielded them by taking the brunt of the world’s criticism.
The former England and Manchester United star has signed a 10-year deal value a reported $A266 million to advertise the World Cup and its host nation Qatar.
Socceroos nice Craig Foster this week slammed Beckham over the Arab nation’s discrimination towards homosexual individuals and girls, in addition to its human rights report.
“Not saying anything about the criminalisation of the LGBTI community in Qatar is absolutely horrendous,” Foster stated.
“He’s been called on by various people in the UK to change his stance. I hope he does.
“His incredible brand known all around the world… he actually has an opportunity to try and create significant impact and even change there in Qatar, so I hope he uses it.”
Homosexuality is illegitimate in Qatar and Muslims discovered breaking the strict Islamic regulation can face the demise penalty.
Qatar was controversially awarded the rights to host the largest sporting occasion on the planet in 2010 regardless of a scarcity of services and the prospect of taking part in the match in sizzling desert circumstances.
Qatar has since accomplished a $A470 billion development extravaganza — at the price of an estimated 6500 development staff’ lives.
The argument defending Beckham and Cahill has at all times been that there’s a perception that the nation has begun to enhance on its abysmal human rights report and the unifying energy of soccer and the World Cup will proceed that trajectory.
Cahill’s personal web site says a part of his ambassador function is to advertise “legacy” applications from the World Cup, together with staff’ welfare.
But his function places him at odds with a strong assertion from the Socceroos within the lead as much as the match.
Sixteen gamers learn strains from a collective assertion calling for an “effective remedy” to Qatar’s human rights points.
“Addressing these issues is not easy. And we do not have all the answers,” the Australian gamers stated.
“We stand with FIFPro, the Building and Wood Workers International, and the International Trade Union Confederation, seeking to embed reforms and establish a lasting legacy in Qatar. This must include establishing a migrant resource centre, effective remedy for those who have been denied their rights, and the decriminalisation of all same-sex relationships.
“These are the basic rights that should be afforded to all and will ensure continued progress in Qatar … [and] a legacy that goes well beyond the final whistle of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
Former Socceroo Robbie Slater stated in 2020 Cahill’s function with Qatar was “unnecessary and a poor choice”.
“Look, I think this is a poor choice, I’m sorry. We all love Timmy of course, he’s our greatest Socceroo — that’s undoubtedly his title,” Slater stated.
“It (Cahill’s appointment) all sounds like a load of crap to me. It’s up to them, they can call it what they want but I don’t agree that Tim should be on it, I’m sorry. I think it’s a poor choice.
“I’m not a left-wing activist who is going to go out there and protest but I think this is a poor choice.”
At the time of his appointment, Cahill hit again at Slater and his critics.
“My role is an influential role in world football,” he stated.
“It’s not about certain issues that people are attacking me for. It’s one of those things. I don’t take anything to heart because it’s just a perception of what they see, or feel. How people interpret what they want to interpret, I’m totally fine with that.
“I don’t have any real comment on their feelings because I’m of a different influence, being named one of four global ambassadors that can help make a big change [to Qatar].”
Cahill at the moment lives in Doha.
