Blatter apologises over homosexual remarks
Reuters - Friday 17 December 2010, 11:19
ABU DHABI - FIFA president Sepp Blatter
apologised on Friday for saying gay football fans should
"refrain from sexual activities" if they planned to go to the
2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Gay groups have called for the head of the world football
governing body to either apologise or resign after his comments
this week. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar.
"I will not enter into such a discussion but I will just say
here if I hurt a group of people in the world by making those
comments then I regret it," Blatter told a news conference.
"It was not my intention and it will never be my intention
to go into any discrimination because this is exactly what we
(FIFA) are against, so therefore if somebody feels they have
been hurt, then I regret and I present apologies for that."
Qatar was awarded the World Cup this month ahead of
Australia, the United States, Japan and South Korea.