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Fifa sympathizes with gay soccer player Jakub Jankto – that causes malice on the net
Czech footballer Jakub Jankto
© Michal Cizek / AFP
Czech national soccer player Jakub Jankto comes out as gay. The football association Fifa expresses its support on Twitter. But users remind Fifa of their behavior at the World Cup in Qatar.
Sparta Prague midfielder Jakub Jankto has become the first active professional footballer in the Czech elite league to make his homosexuality public. “I’m gay – and I don’t want to hide anymore,” the 27-year-old said in a video posted to social media on Monday. He wants to lead his life in freedom, “without fear, without prejudice, without violence, but with love,” emphasized the Czech international, who also played at the 2021 European Championship.
His club Sparta Prague, to whom he is on loan from Spanish first division club Getafe, reacted positively. “You have our support. Live your life, Jakub,” wrote the club on Twitter. A spokesman for the Czech national team said: “Nothing will change for us.”
Criticism of Fifa for tweet under Jankto-Outing
The world football association Fifa expressed sympathy and support under Jankto’s video on Twitter. “We are all with you, Jakub. Football is for everyone.” Plus a heart and a rainbow flag.
But this supporting sentence pissed off the users on Twitter. The reason for this is the controversial handling of Fifa at the World Cup in Qatar with rainbow symbols. It has been reported several times that fans with such symbols were not allowed into stadiums. The scandal surrounding the “One Love” armband, which several national teams, including Germany, wanted to wear at games, caused debates and criticism of the World Cup hosts and the world association.
“In November and December last year you weren’t that excited about the Pride flag were you?” asks one user.
“Maybe you remember that when it comes to tournaments and stuff, I just want to say that you can’t just be for it when it suits you,” criticizes another user.
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Criticism: Fifa is only about “money and power”
A third wrote: “At this World Cup you prevented a human rights message on the Danish jerseys, you stopped people with rainbow flags and you stopped the #onelove campaign just to please Qatar. All your actions show us that you only It’s about two things: money and power.”
Jankto used to play for years in Italy with Udinese Calcio and Sampdoria Genoa. The native of Prague has been with the Czech capital club Sparta since the beginning of the current season.
Among the Central and Eastern European countries, the Czech Republic is comparatively liberal when it comes to the acceptance of homosexuality. Gays and lesbians can enter into a registered partnership, but they are not allowed to marry. Every year in summer the rainbow parade “Prague Pride” takes place in Prague.