A Russian Orthodox priest has found a novel way of overcoming his nation’s pain at their early exit from the World Cup.
Alexander Shumsky has denounced the tournament as a ‘homosexual abomination’, because players’ brightly coloured boots lined up bear a resemblance to the ‘gay rainbow’.
‘Wearing pink or blue shoes, [the players] might as well wear women’s panties or a bra,’ wrote Father Shumsky in his column on Christian website Russian People’s Line.
The Moscow Times reports that Father Shumsky was also cross with the ‘unthinkable’ hairstyles worn by some of the players in Brazil.
The outspoken priest’s intervention comes after Russia’s manager Fabio Capello was called before the Duma – Russia’s parliament – to explain the national team’s dismal showing.
But hilarious as it might seem to foreign eyes, it comes amid an atmosphere of extreme homophobia in Russia, where gay people have been publicly targeted by vigilantes and a law was recently passed banning ‘gay propaganda’.
For Father Shumsky, Russia’s awful showing and early exit was a welcome respite from the garish festival of football, which he sees as a challenge to the piety of Russians.
‘The liberal ideology of globalism clearly wants to oppose Christianity with football. I’m sure of it,’ he wrote.
‘Therefore I am glad that the Russian players have failed and, by the grace of God, no longer participate in this homosexual abomination.’
Despite the priest’s pronouncements, it seems that many in Russia are not so pleased that their boys have returned home from Brazil so early.
The head of the Duma’s Sports Committee, Igor Anansikh, last week said he wanted Capello to tell lawmakers how he intends to improve the Russian side and make them more competitive.
Russia failed to win a game in Brazil – drawing 1-1 with both Algeria and South Korea, as well as losing 1-0 to Belgium – and finished third, leading to a group stage exit.
Source: Daily Mail