Newcastle United LGBTQ+ fan group has left the Pride in Football network after receiving backlash for supporting the recent Saudi buyout.
Back in October, the English Premier League football club was sold to a group led by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
The takeover was met with mixed reactions from fans with some pointing out the country’s controversial history regarding human rights.
At the time of the buyout, the United with Pride group released a statement that said the change of ownership could have a “positive influence to improving the conditions for the LGBTQ+ community in Saudi Arabia.”
Shortly after announcing their support, the group faced immense backlash from activists which resulted in them exiting the Pride in Football network.
United with Pride’s departure was confirmed by the network in a statement earlier this week.
“LGBT+ fans groups have faced increasing media attention since the takeover of Newcastle United given the questions raised around human rights.” the statement said.
“As we stated at the time, we have serious questions around the governance of the game and suitability of the tests for club owners and directors.
“It is also worth noting for those unfamiliar with our groups that, primarily, we are volunteers and we work on inclusion within the sport because we love football. No football fan should be excluded because of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
“Our work in this area will continue, and we shall continue to raise the case of human rights — whether in relation to the Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle United or the hosting of the World Cup 2022 in Qatar or issues around inclusion on the terraces in the UK.
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