Sir Rod Stewart was offered a $1 million contract to play at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but he turned it down because of Qatar’s record on human rights. Before, David Beckham, a famous football player, was closely watched by the public after he agreed to be one of the country’s ambassadors.
The musician also said that he didn’t think it would be right for him to play a set in the country that is hosting the World Cup because it is controversial and it is against the law to be gay there. “I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1m, to play there 15 months ago,” Stewart, 77, told the Sunday Times. “I turned it down. It’s not right to go. And the Iranians should be out too for supplying arms,” he said in reference to drones supplied by the country to Russia which was barred from the tournament. Fans in Qatar, where being gay could get you jail time or even the death penalty, “have got to watch out,” he said. Stewart is seen as a friend of the LGBTQ+ community because he has said in the past that he was “surrounded by gay men in the 1970s.”
In 1976, when few popular songs talked about the lives of gay men, the rocker put out a record called “The Killing of Georgie,” which was about the death of a gay friend. He said that singing the song as a protest during the opening ceremony of the football tournament would have been “good.” Some celebrities have been criticized for supporting and attending the next FIFA World Cup. The singer’s comments come at the same time. Twitter users have given the rock star a lot of praise for turning down the lucrative offer from Qatar. As one user put it, “Because he has values and millions of dollars.” Another one said, “It’s not about the money, it’s saying he’s not going to play in a nation that attacks a minority for existing. Hoped the England team would pull out but who am I kidding.”
One person added, “Well done, Rod!” Another one stated, “Well done you. Pity others didn’t follow your example.”David Beckham got a lot of flak for reportedly taking £10 million to be an ambassador for Qatar 2022.
Because he has values and millions of dollars
— Rose Benson (@NotoriousRBF) November 14, 2022
It's not about the money, it's saying he's not going to play in a nation that attacks a minority for existing.
Hoped the England team would pull out but who am I kidding.
— Pro-Democracy Warrior 🟧☮️🇺🇦❁ (@Truth_Comes_1st) November 13, 2022
Well done, Rod!
— Mark Stuart (@MarkieStuartie) November 13, 2022
Well done you. Pity others didn’t follow your example.
— teasie (@teasiemc) November 13, 2022
