Rio Ferdinand was missed for the BBC’s protection of the World Cup’s opening sport because of issues that his hyperlinks with Saudi Arabia would result in accusations of hypocrisy in a debate over Qatar’s human rights report.
The previous England defender was because of seem with Alan Shearer and Alex Scott alongside host Gary Lineker at Al Bayt Stadium for Qatar vs Ecuador.
However he was changed by ex-Wales defender Ashley Williams when it turned clear that the beginning of the programme can be dominated by moral points.
Pundit Rio Ferdinand, 44, was missed by the BBC for the primary sport of the Qatar World Cup
The previous Manchester United was because of work for the curtain-raising Qatar v Ecuador match however was dropped because of issues over accusations of hypocrisy over his hyperlinks to Saudi Arabia
The BBC didn’t present the opening ceremony on their primary channel, as a substitute discussing Qatar’s human rights report. The BBC denied Ferdinand was dropped.
‘That is categorically unfaithful,’ stated a spokesperson. ‘It was vital to characterize the house nations inside the opening present and these have been the important thing concerns for the line-up chosen, any suggestion in any other case is totally false.’
Lineker started protection on BBC One by highlighting points such because the deaths of migrant employees, the ban on homosexuality and ladies’s rights.
Ferdinand was as a substitute changed by Ashley Williams – however the BBC has denied Rio was dropped
Ferdinand has posted social media messages about receiving ‘unreal’ hospitality in Saudi
Most of the identical points additionally apply in Saudi Arabia, which is known to have been raised by BBC executives as a possible drawback for Ferdinand once they have been planning the programme.
Ferdinand was a visitor of the Ministry of Funding in Saudi Arabia final 12 months at a convention designed to advertise ‘funding alternatives within the kingdom’ referred to as Catalyse Saudi.
It’s unclear if Ferdinand, who has posted social messages about receiving ‘unreal’ hospitality in Saudi, has invested within the nation.
