Restored archive. The original History Commons is no longer online; this is a read-only edition of its timelines. Content is licensed CC BY-NC-SA.

December 14, 2010: FIFA President Blatter Tells Gay Fans at Qatar World Cup to ‘Refrain from Sexual Activity’

2010-12-14

FIFA president Sepp Blatter says that homosexual fans attending the 2022 World Cup, planned for Qatar, should “refrain from sexual activity.” The comment is made in response to a question about whether he sees any cultural problems with holding the World Cup in Qatar, where homosexual activity is illegal. According to the BBC, Blatter’s comments are apparently a joke and he then adds seriously that he is sure there will be no problems for homosexuals who decide to attend. Despite this, his comments will be condemned by numerous figures involved in campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. [BBC, 12/14/2010]