Thomas Hitzlsperger has admitted he wouldn't have been able to accept a role working for beIN Sports during the World Cup due to not being able to criticise World Cup hosts Qatar.
Hitzlsperger became the first Premier League footballer to become openly gay shortly after his retirement and will be covering the World Cup in Qatar this winter for German TV, albeit from a studio in Mainz.
By contrast other former Premier League stars such as ex-Manchester United right-back Gary Neville will be covering the tournament for Qatari state-run broadcaster beIN SPORTS, something Hitzlsperger believes would compromise any potentially negative opinions he may have on the country and its highly criticised records in regards to human rights abuses.