It has been a long year for Russian politics versus the rest of the globe, and the World Cup is not drawing either side closer to the other. In a column for the Christian website Russian People's Line, a priest attacked the World Cup ... for promoting homosexuality.
Alexander Shumsky condemned those who wear colorful shoes (popular designs include green, yellow, pink and blue) as promoting the "gay rainbow." Shumsky wrote, "Wearing pink or blue shoes, [the players] might as well wear women's panties or a bra."
Shumsky is not about to get a sponsorship offer from Nike, Adidas or Puma, and he is not exactly winning political support from those outside of Russia. In fact, he may also not be winning social support in Russia. Shumsky's anti-homosexual sentiment trumped whatever patriotism he had for Russia's soccer team.
"The liberal ideology of globalism clearly wants to oppose Christianity with football," he wrote. "I'm sure of it. Therefore I am glad that the Russian players have failed and, by the grace of God, no longer participate in this homosexual abomination."
It appears Shumsky is satisfied Russia, whose players wore pink cleats, bowed out after three matches with a 0-2-1 record in the group stage.
Shumsky also referred to some World Cup player's hairstyles as "unthinkable." Most Americans probably see his politics as "unthinkable."
