Manchester United icon and ITV World Cup pundit Gary Neville launched into an attack on the British government for their treatment of nurses, during a debate live on air over whether this year’s tournament should have been held in Qatar. Tens of thousands of nurses took action this week in protest of their wages, and Neville felt that it was hypocritical for Britain to criticise other countries such as Qatar amid issues back home in the UK.
Before France and Argentina contested the final, Neville gave his thoughts on Qatar hosting the World Cup. “I always thought it was a nonsense that you shouldn’t have a World Cup in the Middle East and in the Arab world,” Neville told ITV. “I think that’s been put to bed. You have to have a World Cup in every region and what the World Cup has done is brought this region together, a troubled region.
“I think that’s become more balanced throughout the World Cup but it doesn’t change the working system which, right the way through the region, and a working system through football that conversation has started.
“But it’s abhorrent and we should detest low pay, detest low pay and poor working conditions and that is something we can never accept in this region or in any region. It is just worth mentioning in our country, there is a country that is demonising rail workers, ambulance workers and terrifyingly, nurses. So in our country, we have to look at workers rights but certainly where football goes now, we have to pick up on worker’s rights wherever we go because people have to be equally treated.
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After deciding to work for beIN SPORTS and holding an interview for The Overlap in Qatar with Beckham prior to the tournament, Neville hosted BBC’s HIGNFY show where he was given a brutal dressing down by Hislop.
“The others have been very gentle with you Gary, but the elephant in the room is still there,” Hislop said. “You’re commentating there aren’t you? And what’s the defence?”
Neville replied: “You’ve got a choice I think, haven’t you?” Before Hislop added: “What? Going or not going?” Neville then explained his decision and claimed that he was prepared to speak out on the human rights issues, treatment of migrant workers and criminalisation of homosexuality in Qatar.”
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