David Beckham has finally responded to Joe Lycett's criticism of his role as an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup.
The former footballer, 47, was subject to harsh criticism for taking on the role of the host because of Qatar's record when it comes to violating human rights - particularly when it comes to women and the LGBQ+ community.
Lycett attempted to convince Beckham to pull out of the job - which reportedly bagged him over £100 million - by offering to donate £10K of his own money to LGBTQ+ charities if he quit.
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When this did not happen, Lycett appeared to follow through with his threat to shred the money instead - a move that drew widespread criticism because of the cost of living crisis.
However, the comedian revealed that he had, in fact, donated the money anyway after he was filmed shredding fake cash.
Now, Beckham's representatives have responded to the debacle in a statement aired on Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back, which aired on Thursday (15 December) on Channel 4.
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The footballer's representative said they know there are 'different and strongly held views about engagement in the Middle East.'
The spokesperson went on to state they were glad Beckham's involvement had 'stimulated' a conversation about 'key issues' in the area and that they ultimately saw this as a 'positive'.
The statement read in its entirety: "David has been involved in a number of World Cups and other major international tournaments both as a player and an ambassador and he's always believed that sport has the power to be a force for good in the world.
"Football, the most popular sport globally, has a genuine ability to bring people together and make a real contribution to communities.
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"We understand that there are different and strongly held views about engagement in the Middle East but see it as positive that debate about the key issues has been stimulated directly by the first World Cup being held in the region.
"We hope that these conversations will lead to greater understanding and empathy towards all people and that progress will be achieved."
Lycett is far from the only person to slam Beckham for his role in the Qatar World Cup.
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Singer and openly gay man Will Young said: "The decision to take the alleged £150 million over 15 years is greedy enough, the burying of your head in the sand from you, your team and your advisers is repellent and cowardice personified."
LADbible has reached to Beckham's representatives for further comment.
Topics: Celebrity, LGBTQ, World News, World Cup
Emma Guinness