Roy Keane did not hold back in his criticism of Qatar hosting the World Cup, saying ahead of Argentina’s clash with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday: ‘The World Cup shouldn’t be here.’
A range of human rights issues in Qatar have been highlighted by the world’s biggest football tournament heading to the country.
The treatment of migrant workers and the LGBTQ+ community have been particularly focused on, with Qatar’s record on both shocking for many onlookers.
Keane, while he has gone to cover the event with ITV, has been open about his distaste for the World Cup being in Qatar and did not mince his words on the topic.
‘The World Cup shouldn’t be here. It shouldn’t be here,’ Keane told ITV. ‘It’s been mentioned about corruption regarding FIFA, the way they treat migrant workers, gay people. That’s great that it’s been brought up they shouldn’t have the World Cup here.
‘You can’t treat people like that. We all love football, we all love soccer and we’re on about spreading the game but just to dismiss human rights, forgetting it because there’s a football tournament isn’t right, it shouldn’t be here.’
He added: ‘We’re talking about common decency, how you treat people. Let’s get back to basics, treating people with decency, you’ve got to start and finish with that.’
Keane was disappointed that England, Wales and five other countries chose not to wear the OneLove armband as a symbol of inclusion and anti-discrimination in Qatar.
The captains of the countries were threatened with a yellow card by FIFA for not wearing their officially sanctioned armbands, but Keane feels they should have taken the punishment and made a statement.
‘I think the players could have done it for the first game and took the punishment, whatever that might be,’ Keane told ITV.
‘Obviously you’re risking Kane if he gets a yellow card if that was going to be the punishment but that would have been a great statement.
‘Do it for the first game, you get your yellow card, what a message that would have been from Kane or Bale take your medicine and then the next game you move on. You don’t wear it because obviously you don’t want to be suspended.
‘I think it was a big mistake, I think both players particularly when we are talking about Wales and England they should have stuck to their guns and done it, whatever pressure outside or their own associations. If that’s what you believe go with it.’
MORE : Gary Neville aims dig at King Charles as World Cup pundit defends taking Qatari money
MORE : Wayne Rooney reacts to England’s fantastic World Cup win against Iran
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