Saudi Arabia is following in middle east neighbor Qatar‘s footsteps and will host the 2034 soccer World Cup.
12.10.2023 - 18:21 / deadline.com
British rocker Rod Stewart has said he recently turned down an offer to perform in Saudi Arabia in an effort to raise awareness of what he described as “injustices” in the country.
“I’m grateful I have the choice whether or not to perform in Saudi Arabia. So many citizens there have extremely limited choices – women, the LGBTQ+ community, the press,” Stewart said in a statement shared on Instagram explaining his decision to turn down the Saudi offer.
The septuagenarian added: “I’d like my choice not to go… to shine a light on the injustices there and ignite positive change.”
It has yet to be reported who invited Stewart to perform in KSA or how much he was offered. An unnamed source who spoke to The Mirror newspaper said Stewart “was determined to do the right thing and couldn’t accept the offer, no matter how much money was on the table.”
“Some things are more important,” the source told the newspaper. The Mirror said the source is a close contact of the musician.
This isn’t the first time Stewart has publicly shared his decision to turn down an invitation to the Middle East. Last year, the musician said he rejected a lucrative offer to perform in Qatar, which was about to host the soccer World Cup.
“I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1m, to play there 15 months ago. I turned it down,” Stewart told The Sunday Times. “It’s not right to go. And the Iranians should be out too for supplying arms.”
At the time, Qatar had been under huge criticism over its human rights record regarding migrant workers who had been drafted in to build tournament stadiums and the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens in the country.
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Saudi Arabia is following in middle east neighbor Qatar‘s footsteps and will host the 2034 soccer World Cup.
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Rod Stewart has revealed that he turned down a big offer to perform in Saudi Arabia because of the country’s human rights issues.The rock legend was offered what may have been the biggest money sum of his career to bring his show to the Middle East but declined due to the kingdom’s discrimination against women, LGBTQ+ people and the press.“I’m grateful that I have a choice whether or not to perform in Saudi Arabia. So many citizens there have extremely limited choices… women, the LGBTQ community, the press.
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