Arsenal and England star Lotte Wubben-Moy to boycott watching World Cup in Qatar

Lotte Wubben-Moy says she has taken the ‘tough decision’ to boycott watching the World Cup but will still give the England team her full support from home.

The Arsenal defender, who was part of the Euros-winning squad, said the values the Lionesses hold are not reflected in Qatari society.

‘It’s tough, as an England team we all have strong values,’ Wubben-Moy said.. ‘A lot of those values aren’t reflected in the way that we see it, in Qatar. I think it’s a tough conversation to have and there’s a lot of dialogue around it.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (L) has taken the ‘tough decision’ to boycott watching the World Cup

Wubben-Moy made the decision as the Lionesses’ values are ‘not reflected’ in Qatar

‘I personally will be supporting the men’s team, but I won’t be watching. I think it’s, again, hard to talk about. But at the end of the day, we’re one team here at England and we know that they have an opportunity to play at a World Cup. It’s hard to look beyond that really.’

Wubben-Moy’s comments come after her Arsenal team-mate Beth Mead said it was ‘disappointing’ the tournament was being held in a country where homosexuality is punishable by death.

‘The way they think and how they go is the complete opposite to what I believe and respect,’ Mead said last week. ‘Although I am cheering for the boys who are going to play football there, I still don’t think it’s the right place. Unfortunately money talks.

‘The situation even of the stadiums being built and the amount of people that have passed because of that, it’s not an ideal situation and it’s not something that I will be backing or promoting at all but unfortunately it is going ahead.

Beth Mead is disappointed it’s being hosted in a country where homosexuality is punishable by death

‘It’s just disappointing I guess in that sense that there’s no respect on a lot of levels, even though it’s a game of football.’

Manchester City defender Alex Greenwood was also asked about the morality of the World Cup being played in Qatar and said it is important players, both male and female, speak up about the issues surrounding the tournament.

‘I think for us, we obviously can’t choose where the World Cup is happening, it is where it is,’ Greenwood said.

‘We have to try and change the negative to a positive and speak about the things that we can maybe highlight and what we believe in as a country and that’s for all women to have equal rights.

‘That’s something we’ll talk about openly, and I’m sure the men will do the same.’

England’s men’s senior squad will be in Group B in Qatar, facing Wales, Iran and th USA