LA Galaxy defender Robbie Rogers has been an outspoken critic of FIFA’s decisions to hold the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups in Russia and Qatar, countries with harsh records regarding homosexuality, and on Tuesday, he once more took aim at soccer’s governing body.
In a strongly penned op-ed to the USA Today, Rogers, who has 18 caps with the USMNT, criticized FIFA for failing to abide by their own mission statement in their inability to support the gay community.
“FIFA is great at lofty rhetoric. They say their goal is improving the game of soccer "constantly and promot(ing) it globally in the light of its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, particularly through youth and development programs," Rogers wrote. “Those are wonderful ideals and its how I think of my sport and my place in it as a role model to young athletes.
“But FIFA doesn't live those words, not when they decide to hold the next two World Cups, the most widely watched sporting events in the world, in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, two countries that fall far short when it comes to humanitarian values, not to mention their seriously anti-LGBT values and crushing anti-gay laws.
“If actions speak louder than words, then the message FIFA sends to gay athletes is painfully clear. Not only don't they have our backs, our lives don't matter. So for any gay soccer player who has hopes of playing for the U.S. National Team at the World Cup, being open about their sexuality could have real consequences when they set foot in countries with laws that could land them in jail.”
Rogers elaborated on these comments on Tuesday in front of reporters at the league’s media and marketing tour in Manhattan Beach, stating that FIFA must make strides to protect both gay athletes and fans in countries where homosexuality is criminalized.
"I think about the role that FIFA plays and their sensitivity to the LGBT community--not only the LGBT community but to human rights in different countries. I mean, if you read their mission statement on their website it talks about using football to promote education and human rights,” Rogers said. “So to then to have the World Cup in countries that don't support human rights and especially the LGBT community, of course it crosses my mind."
"I think now they should bring up the topic and they should start speaking to FIFA about creating a guideline of what a country needs to have to have a World Cup. There needs some kind of guideline of how to protect the athletes and gay fans."
Even though the long-time U.S. international has found himself in the spotlight as a spokesman against the actions of FIFA somewhat reluctantly, Rogers admits situation is so grave that someone needs to speak out.
“I would never pressure anyone into speaking about the issue but it is absolutely insane,” he recently told Sky Sports. “If you look at the next few World Cups, they are in places where, if I were to go, I would possibly be imprisoned or beat up... It is pretty ridiculous.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
