Openly gay basketball star John Amaechi
doesn't find FIFA President Sepp Blatter's gay joke very funny.
When asked what he advised gay fans
attending the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar, a mainly Muslim
country which forbids gay and lesbian relationships, Blatter
responded with a joke.
After
a long pause, Blatter answered: “I would say that they should
refrain from sexual activities.”
The joke drew a modest chuckle from
reporters, then Blatter continued with a more serious response.
“We are living in a world of freedom
and when the World Cup will be in Qatar, this will be in 2022,” he
said. “And you can see in the Middle East the opening of this
culture. It is another culture because it is another religion, but
in football we have no boundaries.”
“I think there shall not be any
discrimination against any human beings on this side or that side –
or left or right or whatever.”
“I'm sure they [gay fans] will be
admitted to such matches,” he added.
Amaechi, who came out gay in 2007,
blasted the comments, writing
at his website that FIFA “has endorsed the marginalization of LGBT
people around the world.”
“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,” Amaechi wrote. “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'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 a random bloke you might meet on
your travels are gone for the whole time you are in Qatar.”