There is Tuesday evening Today Inside responded with surprise to the interview that Georginio Wijnaldum gave in the afternoon SBS 6. The 33-year-old midfielder from Al-Ettifaq from Saudi Arabia was asked about his opinion on human rights in the country, which are repeatedly violated according to a UN report.

“When you talk about human rights… In the Netherlands you also have the benefits affair, but no one forbids players to play in the Eredivisie,” Wijnaldum noted, among other things. Hélène Hendriks does not know what she hears when the fragment is shown on Tuesday evening Today Inside.

“He should have thought about this a little longer,” says the presenter before she is interrupted by Johan Derksen. “You can't play in the Netherlands, because here we have the benefits affair,” he says in a cynical tone. René van der Gijp: “Groningen. Farmers. Nitrogen.”

Wijnaldum on criticism of Saudi Arabia: 'In the Netherlands there is the benefits affair'

Read Georginio Wijnaldum's interview here.Read article

“He compares the structural and effective violation of human rights with this,” Hendriks continues in a serious tone. “Then I think: Surely someone must have spoken to him? You knew these questions were coming. What also bothered me is that he said he didn't notice anything in Saudi Arabia.”

“It's better for him to say: 'I'm not going to answer this.' Because this is very painful,” says Wilfred Genee. Derksen agrees with this and does not understand why Wijnaldum does not notice the situation in Saudi Arabia. “If this man just clicks on the Amnesty International website, he will see exactly what is happening to his neighbors in that country.”

“All the people who say it is fantastic in Saudi Arabia are not confronted with the problems at all,” Hendriks continues. “He is a hero there, a football player, has a lot of money and can go anywhere. I think it is a very weak argument.” Derksen agrees: “He now comes across as a notorious idiot.”

“That's for sure, but Max Verstappen is driving there, everyone went to China…,” counters Van der Gijp. Hendriks believes that Wijnaldum can also just be honest and admit that he went to Saudi Arabia for the money. “We understand that. On the other hand, he had to answer, because he is always committed to racism and discrimination and he himself chooses to go to Saudi Arabia.”

“Giovanni van Bronckhorst is also an ambassador everywhere and also went to China. Those guys just don't care, dude. They don't care about it,” concludes Van der Gijp.

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