World Cup - Amaechi slams 'crazy' Blatter over gag
Former NBA star John Amaechi says FIFA president Sepp Blatter is "crazy" if he thinks bringing the World Cup to Qatar will somehow make it a gay-friendly country.
Amaechi had criticised Blatter for joking that gay fans "should refrain from any sexual activities" during the 2022 World Cup, with homosexuality illegal in the Gulf state.
Afterwards Blatter said he expected attitudes in Qatar to soften before the tournament, but Amaechi poured scorn on the claims, pointing out that Blatter and co would have to succeed where far greater figures have so far failed.
"Qatar is one of 79 countries to ratify a UN declaration deleting references to homosexuality from their resolution condemning unjustified executions," Amaechi told Europsort.
"That means, while the current punishment is five years in prison, they support the execution of gay people.
"What kind of crazy hubris gives that man (Blatter) the idea that, in 12 years, he can drive change in the Middle East, a region that has been resistant to change in this matter under pressure from far bigger and better men? From human rights organisations, Amnesty, leaders from major countries that invest in Qatar?
"He’s deluded at best."
In 2007 Amaechi became the first NBA star to come out as gay and post-basketball works as an academic, activist and commentator.
He does not believe FIFA will take the problem seriously, pointing to his previous dealings with the organisation.
"I sent a letter and an email (on Monday night) raising my objections and requesting an apology," he added. "I haven’t received anything back, and am not expecting to.
"I contacted them a few years ago, telling them they were abdicating responsibility regarding discrimination in football. They say that football is a vehicle for change but it seems all they wanted to do was stop people from throwing bananas on the pitch.
"Everything since then has been lip service, a marketing ploy so they can sell football to territories in sub-Saharan Africa, places where people can’t afford it.
"And in terms of homophobia, their action has been minimal. They just don’t take it seriously."
While Blatter’s initial comment was meant as a joke, Amaechi does not think it is particularly funny when made in reference to a country that has imprisoned foreign nationals for homosexuality in the past 20 years.
And he feels the flippancy with which FIFA regards persecution of homosexuals is from a bygone era.
"If you watch that press conference, it’s exactly what you would expect from football 40 years ago.
"It’s a bunch of old, straight, white men giggling in a room about serious issues resulting from a decision they have made.
"You can just tell that, when they were chatting afterwards, they were mocking 'that silly woman journalist asking us about gay folk'."
FIFA refused to comment on Blatter’s comments, saying all questions were answered in the press conference.
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tasdeon...thanks for the comments. I'm glad to see someone else who can see past the contradictory words within an archaic book and who doesn't live their life by it.
What gets me is that these zealots have no other arguement than quoting from their holy book, take the book away and all you have left are peoples hatred, bigotry, sexism and racism. I think there are more importatnt issues going on in the world than peoples sexuality and i also think religious people need to get their own houses in order before they start attacking other people. What do we see going on in the world today that is carried out by those who follow religion and are supposedly sexually straight. Terrorism, murder, greed, child molestation, executions, public floggings/hangings/beheadings, stoning people to death, treating women like second class citizens, wars......
ahmed....you should know cos a lot of muslims our gay but cant say anything because your sick faith would kill them ,,also most of your types have small boys fact ,,like the catholic your lot our as corrupt as them ,,,sick comes to mind
religion is a form of brainwashing as it starts as soon as you our born ,,religion has killied more people for the god they follow makes you wonder about god //also they say we our all children of god ,,so why is the homosexual classed as a sinner ,i have gay friends but am not gay ,,but they our my friends ,,something that friendship in the religous word dont like but within all the religous faiths is blatant homosexuality ,,but the morons who follow faiths of all types and give tax free money to them to live a great life makes me laugh ..faith has also caused the world population by telling the followers its a crime for the use of condoms or other contaceptions this is so they can keep a bigger following and more power and money ,,craig m you our so correct but the moron on here is most probably in the closet ,,
religious debates on a football blog brilliant how can anyone in this day and age still believe in religion with all the damage it has caused to the world its dangerous. When people didnt know any better fine but how do you justify evolution? was the dinosoars planted underground by the devil lol get your fcukin heads sorted out you dumb/naive idiots its 2010 and you still believe a book that was written thousands of years ago its people like you that is what is wrong with the world
painkiller - i have no idea what the point of your story is. I assume your going to say that the wife woke up to find her husband having gay sex with another man and because of this he committed suicide. Well i have heard the exact same thing happening countless times when a wife or husband discovered their partner was having an heterosexual affair. Gay or straight people are equally capable of doing wrong.
And why do you keep bringing up the issue if i'm gay or not? You seem to be over compensating yet again. You say i am gay, then say your only 75% sure i am, then say i may not be??? Again, i am not gay but being as i'm defending people's freedom of choice to be what they like i would obviously state if i was gay. The fact is i am straight and someone who has respect for other people. Yes i have gay and lesbian friends but that doesn't make me gay, i have female friends but that doesn't make me female and i have black and asian friends but that doesn't make me black or asian. Though going by how you judge people i would be a white, black, asian, male, female, straight, gay short, tall, fat, thin, English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, French, Dutch, Australian, Aboriginal, American, Canadian, Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Indian, Pakistani, Belgium, German, Danish person!
And yes, i trust my friends! I have had many great nights out and not once has any of my gay friends made a pass at me...why, because they have respect, they know i am straight and they know there are boundaries. It's just the same when i go out with extremely attractive female friends...i don't make passes or molest them either. I'm sorry but your examples just don't make any sense or stand up to any arguement. Are you telling me the kind of behaviour you speak of is limited to gay people only? If so what about all the rapes you hear about, all the times a man has gotten drunk and forced himself upon a woman, the child abuse carried out by some
Craig M you ARE gay,looking at your previous comments I'm 75% you are,but even if you aren't,you said in one of your previous posts that you have gay friends.you also say you aren't gay.what if suddenly you get drunk with your gay friends and somebody from them wants to **** you?can you trust them?! let me tell you one real story: 2-3 years ago there were living husband and wife on 6th floor (I live on 2nd),they had rich family,girl studied in france before they married,she was political activist (don't remember name of party in which she was) but that party was fairly famous for my country,they had collagues in some other countries and she had to fly often.once when she was in france,meeting with fellow political activists and she invited 2 of them to us (she didn't know he was gay at that time).so they came here,of course they drank a lot in restaurant,and that girl offered these 2 to stay in their house instead of hotel.(mark of respect).they agreed,(NOTE:she's husband was also there of course,so he was drunk too)they went up to 6th floor,and all sleeped.at about 3:30-4.00 deep into night screams started to come from their flat.girl almost went crazy and left husband immediately after that night,husband ended his life with suicide.that politicans went home the next day,as if nothing has happened.I will of course write what happened,but I will wait your opinion first.about my education now,of course you know english 100times better than me,because you are british,maybe,I'm not,but the fact that I don't like gays doesn't mean I don't have an idea about this world
Painkiller...your like a child with a 'my dads bigger than your dads' mentality. Start acting like an adult and please try to develop the basic skills to allow you to take part in an intellectual debate, rather than just relying on slinging accusations around. I know it's pretty hard for someone like yourself to understand basic English but try reading what i wrote to prevent yourself repeating the same tired and boring things and making yourself look like an uneducated bigot. No, i am not gay...however, your over the top ravings seem to be compensating for something. Maybe you have gay tendencies but hate yourself for it, or maybe your just a bigot...i doubt if anyone really cares.
Ivi...is there a god? I believe in science and science has proved that a god was not responsible for the creation of the universe, this planet or the life upon it. History has also proven that humans were around and other life was walking the Earth long before the bible says the Earth was created. Doesn't that start the alarm bells ringing? There may well be some unknown omnipotent power at work within the universe but it certainly isn't the 'god' within ANY of the worlds religions. And how can someone state their god is all loving, forgiving and wise but then in the next breath state people of certain beliefs, cultures, sexual persuasions should be damned, killed and tormented? Does this damnation also apply to those in high positions of various religions who sexually abuse a child? And look at the history of religions...just how many people have died and been murdered in the name of religion? If that's the love of god i think i'll do without it thank you and if i was wrong then god would forgive me because i hear he's all forgiving...
God will burn all Gay fans including Ameachi in hell fire unless they repent asap.
@Craig and @David, you guys seem to have so much hate for Christianity. What you portray as lies or the hatemongers (from David), could still be the bad eggs. There is no religion, scientific proof (as claimed by Craig), that is completely true. Usually, a Generalisation approach is usually adopted to send some message across. The Red Cross society, United Nations, Peace Corp, Missions, Voluntary and Human Empowerment Organisations are all from this same Christians you are attacking. What is wrong with you guys? I don't want to believe that such myopic thoughts are coming from your learned selves.
With this development, countries like Argentina and Brazil may possibly not go for the World. The last team that just played at the last world cup had a mixture of gay players. But, to be honest those guys played good football. The gays need not fight for acceptance if their ideology is right. It's simply better practised in the secret as they are doing it. But, sincerely speaking, it's a dirty act.
Oh and I can tell you something far more disgusting than homosexuality - HATEFUL BIGOT SCUM hiding behind corrupted interpretations of the word of GOD and the words and actions of our loving and compassionate saviour/prophet Jesus Christ, who took unto him ALL sinners, INCLUDING those reviled by so-called 'decent' society. Try reading THAT part of the Bible, you HATEMONGERS.
No sorry, if you host and INTERNATIONAL event, you have to respect the consensus of INTERNATIONAL law, and countries that continue to cling to BIGOTRY belong to shunned until they come out of the DARK AGES and join the rest of the human race. PERIOD.
The Amaechi name sounds more like a Nigerian from the Ibo tribe. If so, he iS well aware of the disappointment he has brought to his Kins-men. I know that tribe and how it frowns at taboo. Attacking Blatter is obviously wrong or is he also saying that Blatter doesn't have a freedom of speech? Just like the so called gays are clamouring for freedom of "what I don't know". Amaechi needs to apologise to Blatter for attacking him personally. You approach issues professionally and not allow emotional sentiments to determine your sense of reasoning.
This is a non-issue. Gays have no rights. It is unbelievable a man can fall in love with another man or a woman with another woman. Traditional marriage between opposite sex is real and must be protected and promoted.Those who decide to be gays or lesbians are on the wrong side of history. The world needs to grow, human beings needs to increase. If these gays or lesbians were not borned by their parents or if their parents were gays also, they would not have been in this world.
There are real issues plaguing the world like poverty,discrimination,sexism,racism,class-warfare etc. These people are corrupting minds for their bankrupt courses.
Craig M somehow I think you are,but let's leave it at that.no,I don't want to be gay,there are 2 things I will never do in my life 1)I won't work in police 2)I will never become gay
painkiller..no i'm not gay if that's what your trying to ask with your obvious limited intelligence and very small vocabulary. Weird how you can actually have a point of view on this subject and not be gay. However, your aggressive attitude would strongly suggest that you do indeed have gay tendencies and try to hide it by your ridiculous behaviour.
alex efuwa. No i don't believe in stories...i believe in historical and scientific fact. I am a scientist, an archaeologist and historian and unlike you i actually study and research historical texts, i do not read a book and believe every word.
Look at the old testament...god was going around slaughtering thousands of people and destroying whole cultures...love of god eh....then later the new testament came in as the old one didn't portray god in all that good a light. The bible is a book full of pagan characters and events...the Christians just took it for their own just like they have with Christmas and Easter...both pagan festivals. Even hell was taken from a pagan religion as he was goddess of the underworld...hmmm wonder where the Christian hell came from eh.
Stop being brainwashed and stop being duped by a book that is a complete lie from start to finish. I wish radical religious people would stop hiding behind their 'book' to spread their own prejudices around and at least have the courage to admit their full of hate, malice and nothing better than a facist. Your arguement was to just refer back to the bible which i have already said is a pagan religion that the Christians stole so therefore it makes the bible and all it says a load of fake rubbish. So not using that book whats your real arguement against people with different lifestyles and beliefs from yours? If your the best that your god can make and your made in his image then your god is rather flawed and a huge disappointment.
Craig M you like big @#$% yeah?!
@Craig M, you mean you believe in other stories and refuse to believe what is in the bible huh? That was how people of sodom and Gommorah did (where men were marrying men and likewise women) what happen at the end of it all? All the gay and lesbian people should please desist from this devilish act.
I don't think Qatar should change its laws on homosexuality, as those are their right. However, I do believe that bodies such as FIFA should not be giving the World Cup to a country who's beliefs and ideals are so very different from our own, compassionate ideaology.
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