Poor Sepp - maybe he's not the man to give out sexual health advice. Aged 35 in 1971, Herr Blatter was elected President of the World Society of the Friends of Suspenders, a group of 120 men dedicated to reversing the march of tights (pantyhose) and bringing back garter belts for all women, a pench ant which manifested itself again in 2004 when as FIFA President he called for women footballers to wear tighter shorts: "Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so," commented Sepp without mirth. Today he was forced to wade in to the homophobia issue surrounding FIFA's choice of two less than gay-friendly World Cup hosts, one of which forbids non-heterosexuality by law, and fell into the mire: To audience laughter, Blatter announced - "I would say they (gay fans) should refrain from any sexual activities." He did go on to note the Middle East is a different culture, but one that is in the process of changing, with the implied hope fan sexuality will not be an issue in twelve years' time. It is hard to imagine Qatar will enforce any of its usual laws when the West visits en masse in 2022, but equally Blatter's statement implies a shameful appeasement with a medieval mindset. FIFA has conducted a relentless 'Kick Racism out of Football' campaign, but is still shying away from a similar one to eradicate soccer's last taboo - homophobia. The Football Association likewise is looking for excuses, having produced but pulled an anti-homophobia video at the last minute. Unlike in many sports, football still awaits its first working player to come out. "In football we have no boundaries," Blatter concluded. Just like sex then? (c) Sean O'C0nor & Soccerphile Tags World Cup Pens World Cup Posters Euro 2012 football

Walking through the centre of London, the EU's largest city on Friday afternoon, I saw a famous footballer, and later two men holding hands: Neither a big deal. On Thursday night rugby star Gareth Thomas hosted a coming-out party with friends and gay stars including Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf) at a Soho nightspot. Former Wales captain Thomas, 35, admitted he was gay late last year and the reaction has been, well...no-one's really bothered. Rugby, particularly in Thomas' homeland, has a macho identity not unlike the jock culture of American football. So when it steals a march on soccer in accepting gay players, why isn't FIFA busy with initiatives to encourage sexual, as well as racial tolerance in the people's game? It seems like every sport but soccer has taken the plunge, and I can't think of any footballers beyond Justin Fashanu, and he only openly came out after retiring. While there are degrees of intolerance in society, football once more does its own thing. To be fair the Football Association and certain clubs have clamped down on homophobic fans in the last couple of years, which is certainly a good start. In Britain the game is glaringly behind society, where civil partnerships are in law, gay men occupy prominent positions in politics, TV and the arts and even the Queen's poet laureate is a bisexual. Elton John has been a football man for years but an England & Premier League player debating the issue seems as far as we have got towards having gay players universally accepted. Endless internet rumours, which over here oddly always seem to involve black players from London clubs, is a silly schoolboy jape played by adults, but famous gay activist Peter Tatchell didn't help by pointedly telling the press on Thursday how surprised he was that Sol Campbell and Cristiano Ronaldo had not turned up to the party. "Everybody here tonight is celebrating that the world is changing," said Thomas. "We are here to send the message that it's OK to be a sportsman and it is also OK to be gay." Except that it is plainly not yet in the world's biggest sport. -Sean O'Conor Tags Soccer News football