Pity it took Mead to hit out at Qatar

AT LAST an England player has the courage to say something about Qatar. It’s just a shame it was not one of the men. After months of silence from Gareth Southgate’s players, England and Arsenal forward Beth Mead offered her views on the forthcoming World Cup to BBC’s Women’s Hour. ‘From the minute it was announced I thought it wasn’t the best idea,’ Mead said. ‘It’s not something I will be backing or promoting. It’s disappointing. Money talks.’ Mead’s words were not inflammatory or sensationalist. But they were enough. She is a gay woman and it is illegal to be so in Qatar. She will feel now that she has made her point which is something that none of Southgate’s players can lay claim to.

Some observers argue we should not seek to turn our footballers into politicians, that they should not feel compelled to be spokesmen for matters beyond the field.

All this is true. It would just be nice to think that one of them, just once, actually wanted to speak up.