Tamara Pletnyova, head of the lower house of parliaments Family, Women and Children Committee, warned Russians against having sex with foreign visitors during a radio appearance on Wednesday. More specifically, she warned Russian woman against getting pregnant by visitors, hearkening back to the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
There will be girls who meet men, and then they will give birth, Pletnyova said via translation. Maybe they will get married, maybe they wont. But the kids will suffer, just like they suffered [after the Moscow Olympics].
Its the children who suffer and have suffered since the Soviet era.
But Pletnyova wasnt done with simply advising residents against trysts with visitors and the perils of being a single mother or a child born out of wedlock.
She clarified that if youre going to have sex with a foreigner, just make sure that partner is white.
If its another race, then its even worse, Pletnyova said. We should give birth to our own children.
Im not a nationalist, but nonetheless, she added.
This is not the first first incident intertwining racism and soccer in Russia.
FIFA fined the Russian Football Union $30,000 for fans directing racist monkey chants at French players during a pre-World Cup friendly in May.
Danny Rose, a black English soccer player, told the UKs Evening Standard that he told his family to stay home during the World Cup out of concerns of racism.
Im not worried for myself, Rose told Standard Sport. But Ive told my family I dont want them going out there because of racism and anything else that may happen. I dont want to be worrying when Im trying to prepare for games for my familys safety.
My dads really upset. I could hear it in his voice. He said he may never get a chance again to come and watch me in a World Cup. That was emotional, hearing that. Its really sad. Its just how it is. Somehow Russia got the World Cup and we have to get on with it.
European anti-racism watchdog FARE warned World Cup visitors on Tuesday to take precautions in a difficult environment amid repeated reports of racist behavior in Russian stadiums.
Russia has pledged to crack down on racism during the run-up to the World Cup.
Pletnyova apparently didnt get that memo.
Not saying that Russia should forcefully lose its racial heritage, but if mixed children are guaranteed to be treated badly in the country, then maybe your society should address that instead of telling women who they can and cannot have sex with. ---