Homophobia is a big one. That needs to be challenged in the same way racism has been. And there’s still what I would call institutional discrimination in football. We’re actually running a campaign at the moment called ‘Fair Share’, which is aimed at getting better representation for women and minorities in boardrooms, committees, councils and in coaching itself. What we’re talking about here is equality of opportunities. That’s a huge challenge for us, and I’m excited by the prospect of taking it on.

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“It was not my intention and never will be my intention to go into any discrimination,” he said. “If somebody feels hurt, then I regret and present apologies.”

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and when Blatter was asked about how this would affect gays at the event in 2022, he said while laughing: “I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities.”

His comments went over like a lead condom and he was roundly criticized for thinking discrimination is a joke. Our friend John Amaechi issued a blistering and eloquent condemnation of Blatter on his blog:

I have had it very eloquently pointed out – and I should have made this point earlier – that Blatt’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 Blatt is really saying is “don’t be camp… don’t hold hands… don’t look into each others eyes… don’t book rooms with one bed… don’t have candle-lit dinners in the restaurant…” and on and on.

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. For the same exorbitant prices for plastic flags and whatever the Qatari equivalent of the vuvuzela is, after already paying bumped-up prices for flights room and board – you get to pretend to be the you you were before you came out and that, as was pointed out to me, makes Blatt’s words even more insidious.

Blatter’s “apology” is anything but since it puts the onus on the person who is offended not on the person making the remark. Blatter could have used the moment to issue a real apology and a ringing endorsement of soccer’s embrace of all fans and players, gay or straight or bi or transgendered. But that’s about as unlikely as Qatar winning the 2022 World Cup.

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He was asked what he would say to gay football fans who want to go to Qatar for the 2022 competition, given that homosexuality is banned in the Middle East country. Grinning, he said: “I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities.”

He went on to say that all fans will be admitted into matches. Oh, thanks. That’s reassuring. The most homophobic sport in the world chooses one of the most homophobic nations in the world to host their world championship and gay people are supposed to be cool because we’ll be allowed into the matches…even though if you dare have sex or are overt in your sexual orientation, you could be imprisoned.

Meanwhile, sex was big business at the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year.

Hat tip to Bear Greg and Gordon B.

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Two weeks ago, the Gay and Lesbian Info Center in Belgrade and other non-governmental organisations requested the Football Association of Serbia and the management of the two clubs to publicly distance themselves from these messages and to condemn the calls to murder of gay persons. But the plea has fallen on deaf ears. So a letter has been sent to FIFA headquarters in Zurich.

The messages are apparently in reaction to the local gay pride parade. The Mayor of Belgrade has said he is against violence, but he has also said he’s against the local pride parade: A mixed message that has left many gay people in Belgrade nervous and scared.

Hat tip to UK Gay News.

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