Former Utah Jazz player John Amaechi has criticized the head of soccer’s ruling body for his comments about homosexuals planning to attend the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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.
Amaechi — who became the first NBA basketballer to reveal he is gay after retiring in 2007 — accused the 74-year-old Blatter of showing “archaic, Neanderthal ignorance” towards the world’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
I met Amarchi while he was still in the closet and contemplating coming out of the closet. He’s a really nice guy and I am glad that he is still using his voice to speak out against injustice.
The decision to have Russia and Qatar host is grotesque. It shows clearly the corrupt nature of FIFA, an organization that badly needs radical reforming. Russia and Qatar almost without a doubt used bribery and other questionable or unethical means to win. England should have been chosen. It’s only where football was ORIGINALLY INVENTED, after all. (And gay people (as well as women re: Qatar) wouldn’t have to worry about getting treated like reject human beings.)