FIFA president apologizes for gay sex remark

[meegbear]

Source: CBSSports.com

FIFA's president Sepp Blatter apologized Friday for the fallout from his remarks that gay fans should abstain from sex during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Blatter told journalists in Abu Dhabi that he was sorry if anyone was offended by his comments earlier this week in South Africa, where he said gay visitors should "refrain from any sexual activities" while in Qatar because of the Gulf nation's strict laws against homosexuality.

"It was not my intention and never will be my intention to go into any discrimination," Blatter said in Abu Dhabi which is hosting the Club World Cup. "This is exactly what we are against. If somebody feels that they have been hurt, then I regret and present apologies."

Blatter's comment prompted a leading international gay rights group to demand an official apology from FIFA.

Read more: http://www.cbssports.com/soccer/story/14452929/fifa-president-apologizes-for-gay-sex-remark

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Juris Lavrikovs, communications director for the European branch of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, said the comments were "very unfortunate and have left people deeply offended" and said "we are talking about a very basic human right that is being violated."

Lavrikovs said that Qatar and more than 70 other countries in the world still criminalize individuals for homosexual relationships, and some countries even punish them by death sentence.

<snip>

[gratuitous]

1. "Sorry if you feel you were hurt" is NOT an apology

Just so you know.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. Blatter...

[awoke_in_2003]

3. Would a gay person...

even risk going to a middle east country? I am an atheist and would never even consider it.

[CLANG]

4. Considering they behead people for being gay, I'd say the warning is appropriate.

[provis99]

5. huh? Blatter's warning was a good one.

They face the death penalty if caught having gay sex in Abu Dhabi. I would warn people against having gay sex in Abu Dhabi just as I would warn people not to drink alcohol in public in Saudi Arabia, and would warn women against sunbathing naked in the Arabian peninsula, for the same reason.

I don't get the controversy.:shrug:

[awoke_in_2003]

6. I'd warn any person...

against going to any of those places.

[msongs]

7. decent people of any sort should stay away from that place nt