Blatter: Gays should ‘refrain from sexual activities’ in Qatar

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has joked that gay people “should refrain from sexual activities” at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Blatter, who was speaking at a press conference in South Africa held to discuss the legacy of this year’s tournament, also admitted that the tournament will have to adjust to its host nation in 12 years’ time.

When asked what advice he would give to gay football fans who want to travel to Qatar for the competition, given that homosexuality is illegal in the Gulf state, he grinned: “I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities.

“It’s another culture and another religion, but in football we have no boundaries,” Blatter added. “We open everything to everybody and I think there shall not be any discrimination against any human beings, being on this side or that side, left or right or whatever.

“Football is a game that does not affect any discrimination. If people want to watch a match in Qatar in 2022, they will be admitted to matches.”

The Fifa chief went on to defend the world governing body’s decision to award the World Cup to two countries that have never hosted it before.

“We go to Eastern Europe, to Russia where the World Cup has never been. And later on, we go to the Middle East, we go to the Arabic world, we go to the Islamic world,” said Blatter.

“This is the development of football and don’t speak about money. This has nothing to do with money, as it had nothing to do with money here in Africa. It has to do with the development of the game.”