Tue 9 Aug 2016 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Megan Rapinoe Openly lgbti athletes are being subject to homophobic abuse from amongst the spectators at the Rio Olympics. One of those targeted, Megan Rapinoe of the USA soccer team says she has heard people chanting "bicha", a Portuguese word roughly translatable as "faggott." She has told the LA Times she finds it "personally hurtful." She says she believes not all of the Brazillian spectators are homophobic. "I think a sort of a mob mentality kind of takes over." But, she adds, "I think that they are complicit in it as long as they’re doing it. FIFA can crack down as much as they want but it’s up to individuals in the stands to not participate in that kind of behavior." Other athletes report hearing chants of "puta," another term of homophobic abuse. Such chants have also been heard during the Australia-Canada soccer match, in which at least four players identify as lgbti.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 9th August 2016 - 1:23pm