David Beckham responds to criticism of his ambassadorial role at Qatar World Cup

English football great David Beckham has addressed criticism over his role as an ambassador for Qatar during the World Cup, saying it is “positive that debate about the key issues has been stimulated directly by the first World Cup being held in the region.”

British comedian Joe Lycett called on Beckham to step down from his role fronting the tournament due to Qatar’s human rights record, particularly its stance on homosexuality, which is illegal in the Gulf state, and said he that he would shred £10,000 ($11,800) if he did not receive a response from the football star.

Lycett said he did not receive a response from Beckham by his imposed deadline, which led to him sharing a video of himself appearing to shred the cash when the tournament kicked off on November 20 – but he later claimed he had “donated to LGBTQ+ charities” and not shredded any money.