Is U E F A Correct To Support Homophobic Laws Of Competitor Nations?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57566224
....even though they dress it up as a "political" decision, is this evidence of institutional homophobia in football?

[naomi24]

Jim, //Being against Homophobia shouldn't be regarded as a political stance.//

One definition of ‘politics’ is:

//activities aimed at improving someone's status or increasing power within an organization.//

… so ‘politics’ doesn’t necessarily mean what you think it means. ;o)

UEFA have got it right.

[ichkeria]

I can understand UEFA’s decision here: let’s be clear: this was a request to them to do something and given it’s obviously targeted at one particular country then although in an ideal world it would have been nice, it’s hard to argue with their reasoning.
I fully support the distribution of the flags though.

Nothing to do with actively supporting homophobia and nothing either to do with taking the knee. It was great to hear England and Scotland fans - true fans - drowning out the boo boys and girls the other night

[pixie374]

Racist abuse within a football game, is their business. Protesting about laws, is nothing to do with sports and is a separate issue.

[ichkeria]

“One definition of ‘politics’ is:

//activities aimed at improving someone's status or increasing power within an organization.//
”

It’s one of the main ones surely.

There is a difference, however, between being asked to take a specific action related to the policies of a government, and meaning a stand against homophobia in general. As Jim points out, that isn’t political - any more than making a stand against racism is political, especially by the above definition

[naomi24]

UEFA would disagree with you - and so do I.

[ichkeria]

Hardly:
Have you read their statement?

[ichkeria]

I see Orban’s not coming to the game now: that’s almost as good :-)

[jim360]

I mean, it's firstly a nonsense to say that politics has no place in sport, when it always has had to some extent. Secondly, as I said earlier, I can't say I blame UEFA for deciding not to condone a stance against a particular one of their member countries. And, thirdly, as UEFA themselves have said, support of LGBT rights and rejection of homophobia is "not a political [statement]".

[naomi24]

Yes, I have read it, Ichkeria. //Uefa says it denied the request because of the "political context".//

Jim, politics has no place in sport.... in my opinion.

[pixie374]

No it doesn't and it is unfair on players. Just like NJ's suggestion that women should boycott their competitions, if a man decides to compete. Athletes spend years getting to the top of their game, and are only at their peak relatively briefly.
Leave them to do their work, any political protests should be separate.

[ichkeria]

“Yes, I have read it, Ichkeria. //Uefa says it denied the request because of the "political context".//

Yes and I agree with that, as I stated earlier. But we’d move on from that to consider whether in general it is political to stand against homophobia. My point was that UEFA’s statement indicated that they agree that it is not: however in trying to deny that, you’ve quoted their statement on the specific request from Germany. Moving the goalposts as I’m afraid you so often do.

[webbo3]

UEFA supports the world cup, the world cup in Qatar, which has the death penalty for homosexuality, and women can face 7 years in prison for having sex out of marriage, so far the death toll for migrant workers building the stadiums is more than 6,500.
Will the woke footballers take a knee for them?

[ichkeria]

Well it was FIFA under Sepp “I like to see the women players in their skimpy shirts” Blatter” who were responsible for that one :-)
However yes it’s outrageous that Qatar is staging the World Cup.
Was it not Denmark who had shirts protesting about the slave labour deaths?
Something like that rings a bell anyway

[burlyshirley]

Why does one's sexual preference have to be an issue anyway ??

[webbo3]

Gay footballers scared to come out for fear of abuse, and general human rights

[ToraToraTora]

webbo 18:42, good point.

[ichkeria]

As stated by me earlier I’m pretty sure that there was a protest against that.
And who knows what may happen next year

[andy-hughes]

burlyshirley - //
Why does one's sexual preference have to be an issue anyway ?? //

Because very little in our world exists in isolation.

For the person in the street, their orientation becomes known only to the people to whom they choose to reveal it.

But for professional sportsmen and women, expecially in the seriously high profile world of football, such matters can be used for gain by unscrupulous individuals and organisations who will hijack such private matters for their own ends.

The short answer to your question is - it shouldn't matter, but sadly, it does.

[ichkeria]

“ Why does one's sexual preference have to be an issue anyway ”

It’s a question to address to the bigots themselves. Hard indeed otherwise to fathom

[royfromaus]

Also - I think the whole 'taking the knee' thing is admirable, but at some point it has to be over.
______________________________

I wonder if it will be over before the hypocrites participate in the Qatar world cup?