‘Show humanity, Leeds’: Rohingya Football Club official urges English club to cancel their tour of Myanmar
Club secretary Mohammed Faruk wants the English club to instead play his own team of refugees in Kuala Lumpur
A Rohingya football official has called on English club Leeds United to cancel their controversial postseason tour of Myanmar and play against his team instead.
Mohammed Faruk, secretary of the Kuala Lumpur-based Rohingya Football Club, urged the former English champions to “show humanity” by withdrawing from their two-match tour of the Southeast Asian country, which the United Nations has accused of ethnically cleansing the Rohingya people from Rakhine state.
“As secretary of Rohingya Football Club, we urge Leeds to have a friendly match with us instead of playing with Myanmar teams and show some humanity,” said Faruk. “Otherwise, cancel the tour. By cancelling the tour, [Myanmar] will learn a lesson.
Asked if he was upset when the tour was announced last week, Faruk said: “Yes, of course. Because [Leeds] will be dealing with people who don’t know how to respect humanity.”
Leeds managing director Angus Kinnear announced in Yangon on April 24 that the Championship side would play a Myanmar League All Stars team on May 9 and the country’s national team on May 11.
Italian businessman Andrea Radrizzani, who last year became Leeds’ full owner, has defended the tour, even saying the visit would help raise awareness of the situation in Myanmar.
