Though Robbie Rogers hasn't appeared for the U.S. national soccer team since 2011, the Los Angeles Galaxy defender, as an openly gay athlete, has a unique perspective on the host countries for the next two World Cups: Russia and Qatar. Both countries have notoriously negative views of LGBT citizens.
Qatar's track record on LGBT issues is alarming, to say the least, as gay sex is illegal in the country. Russia, without technically outlawing homosexuality, has enacted measures to curb ads and public pro-gay statements within the country.
In a HuffPost Live interview Tuesday, Rogers had harsh words for FIFA.
"I don't understand what FIFA is thinking doing things like that," Rogers told host Alyona Minkovski. "I think there's a large issue with FIFA with insensitivities with people in general."
Anti-gay laws are not the only things people have pointed to in complaining about FIFA's choice of Qatar as host for the 2022 of late. More than 1,000 migrant workers have reportedly died while building venues in the country, which has been accused of making shady, back-room deals in order to host the event in the first place.
Rogers also pointed out that the Women's World Cup, set for next summer in Canada, will be played on artificial turf, something many in soccer circles have decried. Rogers said there's "no way" a men's World Cup would be played on any form of artificial turf.
"Sexism, racism, homophobia -- [FIFA] is an organization that's ... running soccer for the world," Rogers said. "It's insane to me that they would put a tournament somewhere where someone would be in danger."
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