Empty Blatter: FIFA's boss speaks first, thinks later

In the flibbertigibbet world of Sepp Blatter, the vocal cords act first, and at some later time the vestigial reasoning and social conscience portions of his brain are engaged.

This would be hilarious, except that Blatter is the president of FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, and he is in charge of important events such as the World Cup.

Blatter recently presided over the flawed awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

On Monday, he made a dumb remark when asked whether gay fans should attend the tournament in Qatar.

“I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities,” Blatter said in a news conference in South Africa.

It was a perfect example of why people should not flick their thumbs or their tongues before thinking. Given that English is Blatter’s fourth or fifth language, and that his Swiss sense of humor may not reverberate well in other parts of the world, it was still a foolish — and perhaps highly revealing — thing to say.

This gaffe may take him even further from the Nobel Peace Prize, which he has been lusting after for years. A Nobel Peace Prize for doling out soccer tournaments under murky circumstances, and occasionally prattling about fair play?

Blatter apologized Friday at a news conference in the United Arab Emirates, where the final of the Club World Cup will be held Saturday. His handlers had convinced him that he had blundered.

“It was not my intention and never will be my intention to go into any discrimination,” Blatter said. “This is exactly what we are against. If somebody feels that they have been hurt, then I regret, and present apologies.”

The apology was noted by Juris Lavrikovs, the communications director for the European branch of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. In an interview from Brussels, Lavrikovs called upon FIFA to “engage in a dialogue” about the conditions for gays in 2022. He said his organization was more concerned about full-time residents of Qatar, which is listed among 70 nations in which homosexuality has been criminalized.

An official with the Qatar bid committee, who was not authorized to speak because the committee has technically been disbanded, said in a telephone interview that the nation would be open to all people but noted that the public display of affection is banned to all.

Details of the 2022 World Cup will be worked out in a document early in 2011, Chuck Blazer, the lone U.S. representative on the FIFA board, said from the United Arab Emirates.

Blatter’s statement might be fine, except for one thing. No sooner had 22 FIFA board members, many allegedly trading votes and favors in private, chosen Qatar than a few people remembered that, oh gee, the temperature in Qatar averages 107 degrees in June and July, when the World Cup is played.

Qatar, a wealthy and progressive nation, could undoubtedly construct fantastic stadiums with some form of shelter and air-conditioning. But now, in classic Blatter revisionist fashion, there is talk of moving the 2022 World Cup to January, when the weather is delightful. This would entail a thorough dismantling of soccer’s precious September-to-May club schedule in most big leagues.