Leeds United Myanmar tour: Local MPs express 'serious concern' in letter to owner

Andrea Radrizzani says Leeds will "share the famous values and ethos of Leeds United" in Myanmar

A group of five Leeds MPs have urged Leeds United to reconsider playing games in Myanmar, in a letter to the club's owner Andrea Radrizzani.

Leeds will play two games in May in the country, where families have fled their homes because of military operations.

Shadow sports minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan called the trip "morally corrupt" on Tuesday, but Radrizzani defended it.

On Friday, Leeds' five MPs together said it would be "deeply inappropriate for Leeds United to play in Myanmar".

The public letter was signed by Labour quintet Rachel Reeves, Hilary Benn, Richard Burgon, Fabian Hamilton and Alex Sobel.

• Read more: Leeds' planned tour 'morally corrupt'

• Radrizanni defends planned post-season trip

• Some players 'may have sleepless nights'

They added: "We hope you will think about the representations we are making and reconsider the decision for Leeds United to play in Myanmar."

The Championship club are set to face a Myanmar National League all-star team in Yangon and the country's national team in Mandalay, as well as laying on coaching sessions.

In those areas, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidance is to "check travel advice before travelling".

The FCO advises against "all but essential travel" in some other areas of Myanmar, previously known as Burma.

Nearly 700,000 of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority have fled the country since August because of ongoing military operations in Rakhine.

"In recent months, the Myanmar Government has been responsible for what the United Nations has described as a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing'," the MPs' letter added.

"Although we know this is not the club's intention, we do not wish our city's football club to be seen by others as in any way helping to promote a country whose Government has been responsible for such horrific crimes."

• Read more: Background on the crisis in Myanmar

• FCO guidance on travel to Myanmar (external site)

• Myanmar country profile

Leicester City visited the country in May 2016 after winning the Premier League title but did not play any matches.

Speaking on Thursday, in reply to questions about health concerns, Leeds first-team boss Paul Heckingbottom said that many players had received vaccinations to guard against the Zika virus.

Heckingbottom admitted some players may have had "a sleepless night" after learning about the trip, but vowed that the club would alleviate their fears.