Outsports attacks Sepp Blatter's non-apology apology for homophobic statement

Outsports has a good take on the Blatter scandal:

Sepp Blatter, the president of world soccer’s governing body FIFA, has issued the classic “non-apology apology” for his comments that gays attending the 2022 World Cup in Qatar should re{fr]ain from having sex.

“It was not my intention and never will be my intention to go into any discrimination,” he said. “If somebody feels hurt, then I regret and present apologies.”

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and when Blatter was asked about how this would affect gays at the event in 2022, he said while laughing: “I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities.”

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Blatter’s “apology” is anything but since it puts the onus on the person who is offended not on the person making the remark. Blatter could have used the moment to issue a real apology and a ringing endorsement of soccer’s embrace of all fans and players, gay or straight or bi or transgendered. But that’s about as unlikely as Qatar winning the 2022 World Cup.