Former-NBA player John Ameachi, the Englishman who came out as gay after ending his career, commented that “FIFA has endorsed the marginalization of LGBT people around the world,” later saying: “anything less than a full reversal of his position is unacceptable.”
Juris Lavrikovs, communications director for the European branch of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, told the Associated press that the the comments were “very unfortunate and have left people deeply offended.
“I think they should come out with a strong statement and not just wash it away. We are talking about a very basic human right that is being violated.”
Qatar is obviously a strict Islamic society, something that we aren’t trying to criticize, but these kind of draconian attitudes to homosexuals have been put behind us in Europe – it feels like FIFA operates outside of the bubble of normality most of the time though. When they’re outside the confines just don’t be surprised to see them all filing along against a wall.