Saudi-owned Newcastle United Face Backlash for Tweet Supporting Gay Footballer Jake Daniels Because Of Appalling State of LGBT-rights in the Gulf State Where Homosexuality Is Punishable by Death

MAIL ONLINE: Newcastle United's Twitter account shared message of support for Jake Daniels / Blackpool FC player Daniels, 17, was hailed for coming out as gay yesterday / However, fans pointed out Newcastle are owned by a Saudi-led consortium

Newcastle United have been accused of hypocrisy for tweeting their support for gay footballer Jake Daniels because of the LGBT rights record of their Saudi owners.

Blackpool FC player Daniels, 17, yesterday became only the second British football player in history to come out while still playing.

He was hailed by figures across the sport, as well as others including Prince William and Boris Johnson.

Reacting, Newcastle United wrote on Twitter: ‘Football is for everyone. Newcastle United and the whole football community is with you, Jake!'

However, the club's social media accounts were quickly inundated with comments from angry fans who pointed out that its owners are a Saudi-led consortium with the Gulf state criticised for its LGBT and human rights records.

The consortium bought Newcastle in October in a move that led to accusations of 'sportwashing'. » | Danyal Hussain for MailOnline | Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Related.

Jake Daniels: Blackpool Player Says Coming Out Will Allow Him to Be 'Free' and 'Confident'

Screenshot from the accompanying video | I am ready to be myself - Daniels
BBC: Blackpool's Jake Daniels said his decision to come out as the UK's only openly gay active male professional footballer would allow him to be "free and confident".

The Championship club forward is the first professional in the UK men's game for more than 30 years to come out while still playing.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the 17-year-old said: "Now is the right time to do it.

"I feel like I am ready to tell people my story."

He added: "Since I've come out to my family, my club and my team-mates, that period of overthinking everything - and the stress it created - has gone. It was impacting my mental health. Now I am just confident and happy to be myself finally. With video » | BBC | Monday, May 16, 2022

Jake Daniels: Why Blackpool forward's decision is a watershed moment for British football »