David Beckham says he personally hasn’t seen any gay people harmed in Qatar so therefore it’s “perfectly safe” for them

David Beckham is doubling down on his defense of Qatar. This time, he’s claiming the Gulf nation is actually a very safe place for LGBTQ+ people, despite being having some of the harshest laws and punishments against gay people in the world.

Has the soccer legend, and one-time gay icon, really stooped this low?

Sadly, yes.

Beckham, who took a $150 million deal to serve as the Gulf nation’s tourism ambassador leading up to the 2022 World Cup, was once again asked about the country’s severe anti-LGBTQ+ laws at the premiere of his new Netflix doc.

The Manchester United and Real Madrid star gave tone-deaf and offensive responses.

“Let the football do the talking, it was a great tournament, a lot of people were happy,” he told the U.K.’s Sky News.

When asked whether he researched the Arab country’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people, Beckham answered in the affirmative.

In fact, he says he’s spoken to plenty of LGBTQ+ folx who attended the World Cup, and all of them felt safe!

No word on whether those LGBTQ+ people were natives, or wealthy Western tourists, or if they really even existed at all. The distinction probably makes a big difference!

“I had a lot of conversations with the LGBTQ community when I was there. They said they had enjoyed the games and they felt it was the safest World Cup they’d had for a long time, it was an important competition and one I was proud to be a part of,” he said.

Wow. For those wondering, Qatar is ranked as the seventh most hostile nation to LGBTQ+ people on earth, according to Equaldex.

Of course he doesn’t regret accepting 150 million dollars and I would like to hear from these lgbtq people he supposedly talked to. — Joey R Johnson (@Johnson__joey) October 4, 2023

He just worships money. A good example of greed and when more than enough isn’t enough for some.— Anna (@Anna_exists) October 4, 2023

@7beckham07 is money over morality. And this new documentary is not going to redeem him.— Steven (@The_PhantomZone) October 4, 2023

At the end of the day he’s profited off the gay community for years, many football clubs regularly sell pride kits support pride etc. yet when the time came to actually show support that didn’t have financial upsides they bailed. Says it all— Michoo (@Michoo995) October 3, 2023

Beckham sparked outrage when he took the ambassadorship, and recorded a video extolling Qatar’s “perfection.”

In addition to Qatar’s medieval anti-LGBTQ+ laws, women are oppressed and migrant workers are widely abused. At least 6,500 migrant workers died in the 10-year lead-up to the World Cup.

But up until this week, Beckham has stayed silent. Prior to his embarrassing red carpet session, his only statement on LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar came via a boilerplate statement.

He was responding to British comedian Joe Lycett, who shredded £10,000 in (fake) cash to protest his partnership with the Middle Eastern state.

“We hope that these conversations will lead to greater understanding and empathy towards all people and that progress will be achieved,” the statement read.

What an ally!

With supporters like Beckham, who needs enemies?

It’s apparent the Inter Miami co-owner was trying to sidestep thorny issues at all costs during the World Cup. Beckham was virtually invisible during the festivities, prompting anger from his Qatari overlords.

Despite offering some lip service before the World Cup, Qatari officials wasted no time expunging any overt references to LGBTQ+ people. The biggest incident came when legendary soccer writer Grant Wahl, whose brother is gay, was detained for trying to enter a stadium wearing a t-shirt with a rainbow soccer ball.

Wahl died unexpectedly a couple of weeks later.

Players were also prevented from making pro-LGBTQ+ statements, and FIFA threatened any player who wore a rainbow armband would be penalized.

But for Beckham, none of that appears to be a problem. It’s disappointing, too. He was one of the first major male sports stars to publicly embrace his gay fans, even posing for the cover of Attitude (the magazine removed Beckham’s cover from its offices in protest of his deal with Qatar).

Married to “Posh Spice,” Beckham starred in sexy underwear ads and even wore pink nail polish on occasion. And he spoke warmly about his fondness for gay people.

“I’m very honored to have the tag of ‘gay icon,’” Beckham told the BBC in 2007. “Maybe it’s things like (the fact) I like to look after myself, I like to look smart and presentable most of the time.”

Today, he looks like a sold-out stooge. How sad to see this once great, pro-gay icon fall.