Politician's bizarre sex warning for Russian women during World Cup

A Russian politician has issued a controversial warning to local Russians ahead of the World Cup, urging them to avoid sex with foreign fans.

Tamara Pletnyova, the head of a Russian parliamentary committee, made the bizarre announcement on radio, saying sex with fans during the event will lead to single-parents families.

“There will be girls who meet men, and then they will give birth,” Pletnyova said.

“Maybe they will get married, maybe they won’t. But the kids will suffer, just like they suffered (after the 1980s Olympics).”

CONTROVERSIAL EVENT: How Russia’s many issues could affect the World Cup

The politician also insinuated sex with someone of a different race would be an issue for Russians.

“It is one thing if the parents are of the same race; quite another if they are of different races,” she said.

“I know that the kids suffer too, and they all stay with the mother.”

Approximately one million football fans have and will arrive in Russia for the World Cup, which begins early Saturday morning (AEST).

The Russian government has already come under fire from various circles for it’s outdated views on a number of issues ahead of the huge event.

One such problem is homophobia. It’s not ever-present in Russia, but it’s virulent and state-led.

A 2013 bill signed by president Vladimir Putin criminalised “the propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” to children.

As a US State Department travel advisory warns, “Foreign citizens face fines, up to 15 days in jail, and deportation for violating this law.”

Very few people have actually been punished for it, and Russia’s football federation has promised that gay fans will not be prosecuted for carrying rainbow flags or holding hands.

But the broader problem is the message the law sends. Homosexuality itself isn’t illegal, but is clearly unwelcome.

The law has spurred a surge in hate crimes against LGBTQ people, with the number of incidents doubling in five years.

According to a recent poll, 39 percent of Russians think there will be an attack on an LGBTQ visitor during the World Cup. A paramilitary group says it’ll be patrolling the areas surrounding stadiums to prevent gay men from kissing.

All of that is why FARE has advised gay fans to refrain from public displays of affection.

There is a chance the World Cup passes without homophobic incident. But the fact that there are serious concerns is problematic in and of itself.

With Yahoo UK