UFC star Paddy Pimblett refusing to watch England at Qatar World Cup due to Molly McCann
Paddy Pimblett is boycotting this years' World Cup in Qatar in support of his friend and team mate Molly McCann.
Paddy Pimblett is boycotting the Qatar World Cup due to the country’s criminalisation of homosexuality. The popular UFC star admitted he has not been watching England’s campaign as friend and training partner Molly McCann ‘wouldn’t be welcome there’.
"No, I have not been watching the World Cup," he told Sports Bible. "I'm not watching that World Cup, lad. Molly [McCann] wouldn't be welcome there so why would I watch it?"
This year’s World Cup has been shrouded in controversy throughout. Since the Middle Eastern country started constructing stadiums for the tournament in 2014 Qatar has admitted to 500 worker deaths but it's been reported there have been thousands more.
Living conditions have been the core issue with Amnesty International denouncing the “appalling” facilities in an extensive report that likened the treatment of migrant workers to “modern slavery.”
Pimblett like many others has taken exception to the country’s human rights restrictions. Besides the outlawing of homosexuality, women also have limited rights and need a male guardian’s approval to drive or leave the country.
McCann – an openly-gay UFC fighter – has also taken a stand against the host nation. "I'm not bothered about that," she responded when asked about England's chances at the tournament.
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"It's about breaking down stigma, a gay male will not be attracted to everyone in the gym!"
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) September 2, 2021
������ @MeatballMolly is a fighter through and through!
And she'll continue to fight for LGBTQ+ communities ������️������ pic.twitter.com/04v9M1imop
"I'm not feeling the Qatar vibes and all the human rights that haven't gone down there. I won't even be watching it."
McCann struggled to come to terms with her sexuality for much of her life but remains humbled by the support she received from the MMA community after coming out publicly at the age of 25.
“People would take the p*** out of, annihilate, assassinate my character by saying like ‘lesbo’ or ‘gay’ or ‘d***’,” McCann told BT Sport. “These are the kinds of words that are thrown at you from this age as a derogatory term. So now you imagine I’m growing up, I wouldn’t even explore that idea, because I was that scared to get crucified with that word or that name. Family, friends, everyone was like that.”
She added: “People just don’t know the shame that you get made to feel for being gay. It’s horrible sometimes – the looks, even laughs. I would still say I struggle with being openly gay, or walking down the street holding my girlfriend’s hand. Because of the looks that you get, it makes you feel inferior, and it’s not nice.
“[But] my surrounding people didn’t judge me, and I constantly thank MMA and that community for that, because they allowed me to be me. And they accepted me for me.”