The Saudi Pro League’s director of football Michael Emenalo insists Jordan Henderson’s legacy has not been damaged and compared the lack of LGBTQI+ rights in Saudi Arabia to not being able to drink alcohol in some cultures.
The former Liverpool captain, who is set to make his debut for his new club Al Eittfaq on Monday night, had been a very vocal supporter of LGBTQI+ rights in recent years but has faced criticism for moving to Saudi Arabia, where imprisonment and in theory the death penalty can be punishments for same-sex relations.
Emenalo, previously technical director for Chelsea, is responsible for recruiting for all 18 Saudi Pro League (SPL) teams, with many funded by the Gulf nation’s Public Investment Fund. Emenalo said last month that joining the SPL “is going to be something that defines (players’) legacy”.
When asked about the perceived hypocrisy of Henderson, 33, coming to Saudi having previously stood up for gay rights, Emenalo suggested that the 77-cap England midfielder should not be viewed differently.
He said of Henderson: “I find it hard to understand why coming here would damage his legacy and (Lionel) Messi going to the (North American) MLS enhances his legacy. There is something wrong with that. I don’t get why that would be the case.
Emenalo defended Henderson (Simon Stacpoole/Mark Leech Sports Photography/Getty Images)
“I think he remains pro gay rights, I don’t think it changes anything. I’m pro having a little bit of fun every once in a while but I’m also much more pro respecting the cultures of every country, because I have done that everywhere that I have lived and have never seen one country with the same culture as the other.
“There’s always something different. In some countries, you can drink publicly but it (the bottle or can) has to be in a brown paper bag; and in others you can do this inside your home or not at all.
“It is what it is. It doesn’t change the views of Jordan Henderson. Jordan Henderson was a professional in the open market and is looking to do the best for him. And in fact, being here is an opportunity for him to see, just like me, that this is a place where you can live with your family and have fun and have a certain level of growth and pursue your career and do the things that you love and do it every day without any concerns.
“I think people will come around and I think Jordan Henderson will be one of the reasons that people look back and say, ‘Well, this is not bad after all’.”
(Top photo: Carl Recine – Pool/Getty Images)
