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FIFA Prez: Gays Should “Refrain From Sexual Activities” At 2022 World Cup

There are many concerns that have been raised about FIFA awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. It’s hot, it’s small, and may not be able to pull off hosting a major sporting event, just to name a few.

But FIFA president Sepp Blatter, figuring there wasn’t enough negative buzz surrounding 2022, decided to generate more when he asked gay fans visiting Qatar not to have sex during the 2022 Cup.

During a press conference, a reporter asked Blatter what homosexuals should expect if they plan to travel to Qatar for the tournament.  The answer:

“I would say that they should refrain from sexual activities,” Blatter answered on Monday, after a long pause.

We have learned many fun facts about Qatar recently, and the latest little tidbit is that homosexuality is illegal in the majority Muslim Gulf state.

That’s right folks – in order to show respect to the hosts, Mr. Blatter asks that you follow their repressive laws to the letter.  Even though the Qatari government has no respect for your choice of lifestyle, please respect theirs. Irony noted.

Former NBA player John Amaechi, one of the highest-profile athletes to ever come out publicly, was not too happy with Blatter. Amaechi thinks that the FIFA President’s true intentions go beyond his controversial statement.  From the same CNNSI article:

“Blatter’s words aren’t really about sex, as I can’t imagine that many gay football fans would be bold enough to do it in public in Qatar. Rather, what he is really saying is ‘Don’t be camp, don’t hold hands, don’t look into each other’s eyes, don’t book rooms with one bed, don’t have candle-lit dinners in the restaurant…’ and on and on,” he said.

“He’s really saying don’t even ‘look’ gay, re-closet yourself and pretend the ties and love and affection you have for your partner or even some random bloke you might meet on your travels are gone for the whole time you are in Qatar.”

We tend to agree with Amaechi – it would be impossible for Qatar to enforce their laws on visitors if they happen behind closed doors, so what exactly does Blatter mean by “sexual activity?”

If anything, Blatter’s comments show a clear disconnect with reality - sort of like the disconnect with reality required to award the world’s largest sporting event to a tiny, blazing hot country with a questionable human rights record.