"We're talking about people who are smart, who are socially conscious, people who understand that they don't live in a bubble. However, what some of them have told me is that they found it a little bit unfair that, ultimately, for as much as they have a platform, why should they turn into spokespeople for governments or for governing bodies that in reality should be the ones taking the lead?"
"I think some of them felt that in the past - and we've seen that, for example, in Qatar - some of them basically were hung out to dry. Because instead of having the government or having the governing body showing leadership on certain topics, all of a sudden the players were asked to become political spokespeople and that's not what they are."
England's Professional Footballers' Association has raised concerns that players are being pressured to act as political spokespeople at the upcoming World Cup in North America. Players have requested guidance on responding to calls from rights groups and media organizations to comment on complex social issues. The PFA chief executive noted that players feel unfairly burdened by expectations to address governmental and governing body responsibilities, particularly regarding issues like immigration policies and LGBT rights. Players expressed feeling abandoned in previous tournaments, such as Qatar, where they were expected to lead discussions on sensitive topics rather than governments taking responsibility. The PFA emphasizes that while players are socially conscious individuals, they should not be forced into political advocacy roles.
Read at www.bbc.com
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