Former England captain David Beckham has been urged to speak out about the deeply concerning human rights situation in Qatar by Amnesty International.
He has signed a lucrative deal to be a 2022 Qatar World Cup ambassador.
Human rights issues in the host country have been under scrutiny since Qatar was awarded the tournament in 2010.
Amnesty’s Sacha Deshmukh said that Qatar’s human rights record is troubling, from the country’s longstanding mistreatment of migrant workers, to its curbs on free speech and the criminalisation of same-sex relations.
He added that it is good Beckham wants to be involved in such a major football event, but urged him to learn about the deeply concerning human rights situation in Qatar and be prepared to speak out about it.
Qatar has brought in migrant workers to help build the infrastructure for the winter World Cup.
Amnesty claim thousands of migrant deaths have not been properly investigated.
A spokesperson for Beckham told BBC Sport that David has been visiting Qatar regularly for over a decade and went on to play for [Qatar-owned] PSG – 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
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