LA Galaxy defender Robbie Rogers had some tough words for FIFA in an editorial published in Tuesday’s USA Today, criticizing the governing body’s decision to hold the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar, two countries with harsh anti-LGBT laws.
Rogers, who publicly came out and then retired from soccer in February 2013 before returning to the sport with the Galaxy later that year, wrote that FIFA failed to live up to its mission statement to “promote [soccer] globally in light of its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values” by awarding the next two World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
Rogers, who earned 18 caps with the US national team from 2009-11, also indicated that he thinks FIFA’s decisions could contribute to some homosexual players choosing to remain in the closet.
“FIFA doesn't live [its mission statement],” wrote Rogers, “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 the subject in interviews on Tuesday at MLS’s media day in Manhattan Beach, California, telling reporters that FIFA must consider a nation’s record on gay rights when determining World Cup hosts.
“I think now we should bring up the topic and we should speak to FIFA about creating the guideline of what a country needs to have in order to have a World Cup,” he said. “There will be gay athletes at both World Cups, and FIFA needs to protect those athletes, and FIFA needs to create an environment where those athletes feel like they can be themselves and be out.
“Because if they don't, if they just host these World Cups in countries that are homophobic, what kind of message is that sending to young soccer players? As a 14-year-old, without them saying anything, they just host a World Cup there – what kind of message does that send?”
Rogers also said on Tuesday that he reached out to US national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann -– who Rogers has known since his childhood – before he publicly came out, but never heard back from him. Despite that, the 27-year-old left back is aiming to get back into the USMNT picture, hoping that another strong season with the Galaxy will restart his international career.
“I've proven to myself, I think, I can really contribute to our national team and the way that we play,” he said. “I watched the World Cup. I saw the way Jurgen wants his outside backs to play, so I think that actually suits me pretty well.”
