GARY NEVILLE’S INVOLVEMENT in the Qatar World Cup came under scrutiny during his appearance as guest host on BBC panel show Have I Got News For You, which aired on Friday night.
The former Manchester United defender turned analyst will be working as a commentator for Qatar’s state-owned broadcaster BeIN Sports during the controversial tournament, which starts on 20 November.
Neville tried to shrug off an initial question about how much his former team-mate David Beckham is being paid in his role as an official Qatari ambassador, saying “I don’t know… more than me.”
When panellist Ian Hislop questioned Neville on his own involvement, he explained that “you either highlight the issues and challenges in these countries and speak about them, or you basically don’t say anything and you stay back home and don’t go.
“And I’ve always said we should challenge them.”
“There’s another option,” Hislop responded. “You stay at home and highlight the abuses. You don’t have to go and take the Qataris’ money.
“I’m not trying to be tiresome, but it’s just not a very good defence.”
You can read the extended exchange in full below:
Richard Madeley: “It’s unbelievable, and it’s all about money and you’ve got mainline celebrities going over there for huge cheques. You’ve got people like Robbie [Williams] going out there to sing, which I must say I’m very surprised at, given all the comments that Robbie Williams has made in the past about gay rights. The fact that he’s going out there to sing for them is extraordinary. I don’t know what’s happened to people. And it’s not just him, the Black Eyed Peas are going as well, aren’t they? They’re going out to perform.”
Gary Neville: “I don’t know either of these.”
RM: “You know Robbie Williams.”
GN: “Well, I’ve met him once.”
Paul Merton: “But you know David Beckham, don’t you?”
GN: “Yeah.”
PM: “He’s going, isn’t he?
GN: “Yeah.”
PM: “How much is he being paid?”
GN: “I don’t know.”
PM: “You do know.”
GN: “More than me.” [To Ian Hislop] “Ian, is it coming home?”
IH: “What, your reputation? The others have been very gentle with you, Gary, but the elephant in the room is still there. You’re commentating there, aren’t you?”
GN: “Yeah, I’m commentating there.”
IH: “What’s the defence? ‘Football term.’”
GN: “For commentating there? Well, you’ve got a choice I think, haven’t you?”
IH: “What, going or not going?”
GN: “My view always has been that you either highlight the issues and challenges in these countries and speak about them, or you basically don’t say anything and you stay back home and don’t go. And I’ve always said we should challenge them.”
IH: “There’s another option. You stay at home and highlight the abuses. You don’t have to go and take the Qataris’ money. I’m not trying to be tiresome, but it’s just not a very good defence.”
