Tuesday, December 14, 2010

FIFA's advice to the LGBT fans -- "refrain from sexual activites"

Members of the LGBT community will have to think twice before attending the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. As the U.S. State Department travel page on Qatar warns
Homosexual activity is considered to be a criminal offense, and those convicted may be sentenced to lashings, a prison sentence, and/or deportation.
Regrettably, Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, thinks this is a laughing matter.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter was unable to keep a straight face when asked at a press conference in South Africa what to advise gay people who hope to go to the Arab emirate.

The mainly Muslim country, which will host the tournament for the first time, forbids same-sex relationships by law.

"I would say that they should refrain from sexual activities," Blatter answered on Monday, after a long pause.
Hey, at least Blatter refrained from telling LGBT fans to go f### themselves--perhaps because that activity is illegal in Qatar.

FIFA's Code of Ethics has no prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. There's a similar blind spot in its choice of World Cup hosts.