Offside obscurities: Football action off the field

Paul the Octopus predicted World Cup results, whereas The Simpsons predicted Neymar’s injury, according to the UK-based huffingtonpost website.

In an episode broadcast in April, a Brazilian player who goes by the name “El Divo”, who bears more than a passing resemblance to the theatrical Neymar, collapses in the penalty area. Homer, refereeing the World Cup final, decides not to award a penalty but El Divo is carried off on a stretcher. Insistent, Homer cries “no penalty” and again at a cemetery, as he watches undertakers conduct El Divo's burial. And the final score in Brazil’s match? Brazil 0-2 Germany...

Russian priest says football is gay!

While thousands of Russian fans were left devastated by their team’s early exit from the World Cup tournament, one Orthodox priest has openly rejoiced at their failure, denouncing the contest as a “homosexual abomination”, reported the Moscow Times. Priest Alexander Shumsky seems to have taken particular exception to the brightly coloured footwear on display in Brazil, writing in his column on Christian website Russian People’s Line that players who wear green, yellow, pink or blue shoes helped promote the “gay rainbow.”

“Wearing pink or blue shoes, (the players) might as well wear women’s panties or a bra,” Shumsky wrote, adding that he was also offended by the “unthinkable” hairstyles of some of the players in Brazil. “The liberal ideology of globalism clearly wants to oppose Christianity with football. I’m sure of it. Therefore, I am glad that the Russian players have failed and, by the grace of God, no longer participate in this homosexual abomination,” the priest wrote in his online column.

Russia so anti-gay: FIFA

The world football governing body, FIFA, said Russia is so homophobic and it will need a “special task force” to deal with it at the next World Cup. Jeffrey Webb, FIFA’s anti-discrimination chief, has said the organisation will need to deploy staff specifically trained to tackle homophobic abuse the next time the world comes together to play football. LGBTI fans have condemned the body for failing to tackle homophobic and racist abuse properly at the World Cup in Brazil.

Scoring with desi condoms!

Not just players, even fans seem to be on a scoring spree in Brazil. Reports suggest India condom maker, HLL Lifecare Ltd, has exported 400 million pieces to Brazil so far this year as compared with 342 million pieces in 2013. Brazil is one of the largest importer of condoms in the world, and of HLL’s total export, Brazil tops with 35-40 per cent.

Eyeing the major sporting event, HLL had even opened an office in Sao Paulo, the country’s biggest city, last year. According to reports, a World Cup-themed condom from the Karex stable branded Prudence, laced with green and yellow (Brazil’s national colours) and flavoured to taste like the nation’s signature cocktail Caiprinha (made of lime, sugar and Brazilian brew cachaca) is the bestseller of the season.