Premier League Criticizes beIN Sports' Mohamed Aboutrika for Anti-Gay Comments

The Premier League has condemned the recent anti-gay comments made by beIN Media Group's Mohamed Aboutrika.

"We wholeheartedly disagree with the pundit's views," the league said in a statement to The Athletic. "The Premier League and its clubs are committed to supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion and making clear football is for everyone."

Aboutrika, a former Egypt national team player and current beIN broadcaster, said on air that Muslim players should boycott the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign while criticizing homosexuality as a whole.

"This phenomenon is not only against Muslim nature but it’s against human nature," he said. "Allah says in the Quran that we have to honor the children of Adam but by doing this homosexuality we are not honoring humans, we are humiliating them."

"They will tell you it’s a human right but it’s not a human right, in fact it’s against humanity," he added.

FARE, a football anti-discrimination organization, criticized the comments from Aboutrika on social media:

"So disappointing to see Egyptian legend Mohamed Aboutrika dismissing the Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign and using theological positions to do so. No challenge from beIN Sports. He was given space to deny the rights and existence of a community."

The EPL campaign features players wearing rainbow-colored laces, armbands and pin badges in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson discussed the importance of the Rainbow Laces campaign during the 2020-21 season:

BeIN Sports is based in Qatar, home of the 2022 men's World Cup, and broadcasts Premier League matches in the Middle East and North Africa.