LeBron James has been in the news recently for traveling to Saudi Arabia earlier this month. While some fans have jokingly speculated that he might be heading to the Middle East, not everyone is excited about the Los Angeles Lakers star’s visit.
Video of James visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia quickly circulated on social media. The visit came shortly after the Lakers forward joked about signing a hefty one-year contract to play in the oil-rich country.
Unsurprisingly, given Saudi Arabia’s known human rights abuses, reactions online were mixed.
James has been a staunch supporter of social justice issues in the past, and Hatice Cengiz, the fiancée of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, also called for his visit.
“Another disappointing development. It’s important to remember that athletes are more than athletes,” Cengiz told RadarOnline.com’s Douglas Montero. “They have a lot of fans following them. “It’s sad to see these people forget that they are morally exemplary as well when they make choices. “
Cengiz’s fiancée Khashoggi is a well-known dissident of the Saudi regime. In 2018, he was assassinated on the orders of the Saudi government and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
This isn’t the first time James has been criticized for alleged double standards on social issues.