Ex-Rapid coach penalised for gay slander
Former Rapid Vienna manager Vlatko Markovic has been fined 10,000 Euros for claiming that he “never met a gay person as only healthy people play football.”The 74-year-old president of the Croatian Football Association played for Viennese team Wiener Sportklub in 1965 before coaching 32-time Bundesliga champs Rapid in the 1985/1986 season.He also angered activists and non-government organisations (NGOs) last November by saying: “As long as I head the football federation, there will be no homosexuals playing in the national team.”Now the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) decided to hand out a 10,000-Euro fine. Markovic who visits Vienna where he owns an apartment on a regular basis has not made clear whether he planned to appeal.Only a few days after Markovics statements were published, Dinamo Zagreb vice president Zdravko Mamic said homosexuals “are for ballet. They can also be journalists and writers.”Referring to Markovics points of view, the club official said: “I wouldnt want gay people in my team either.”Mamic has not faced any sort of consequences for his statements to date.Meanwhile, Bayern Munich star Mario Gomez suggested gay players should come out. The German national team striker said homosexual footballers would play “as being liberated” after their outings. In contrast, his Bayern teammate Philipp Lahm and Werder Bremen keeper Tim Wiese advised gay players not to make a stand.