The latest: Back in May, before the tournament began, team coach and famed former player Diego Maradona (right) made an unusual promise: If Argentina returns from South Africa as the world champions, he will run naked around the Obelisk located in the heart of Buenos Aires.
Not that running naked is gay. But then came other comments by Carlos Bilardo, another former player and the team's current General Manager.
Appearing on a television news magazine show aired on June 4th, Dr. Bilardo, who is also a former physical therapist, was a bit bawdy and funny as heck. Invited to talk on the topic of sex and soccer, Dr. Bilardo addressed whether players should have sex the day before a game, whether they masturbated in the locker rooms and whether there was an appropriate sexual position between an older man and a younger woman.
The clincher came just as Dr. Bilardo was getting ready to end the interview and walk out of the studio.
"Any promises Carlos, or not?" host Matias Marín asked him, "Diego [Maradona] said if he emerges the champion, [he'l run] naked to the Obelisk".
Here is Dr. Bilardo's response:
That, of course, was international news. From Peru's 100 Goles, "If Argentina is the champion, I'll let them do my ass".
It's not the first time that Dr. Bilardo makes a similar World Cup promise. Four years ago, he offered to masturbate the player who scored the championship goal at the previous World Cup tournament (Italy won so Dr. Bilardo ultimately did not have to make good on his offer).
I guess he was upping the ante this year and at least one of the players indicated he would be more than game. Martin Palermo, who at 36 is playing in his first World Cup tournament, joked that if he scores the championship goal he'll "make Bilardo's dream come true" only if Bilardo accepts putting on a wig.
Who knows where all this is going with Argentina sitting pretty on top of the World Cup Group B standings with two wins and no losses. One thing seems true, the spirit of homosex doesn't seem to want to leave the team alone. It's latest manifestation came during the press conference on Thursday after Argentina's 4-1 defeat of South Korea in the guise of a BBC reporter and some apparently faulty translation.
Look at those eyes widen in horror at the thought of homosex! Ah, Diego. Things haven't changed much since he played into rumors that Brazilian soccer idol Pelé began his sexual life with other boys. That also made worldwide news at the time.
But what else is new? Soccer doesn't seem to indicate it will ever grow up when it comes to issues related to homosexuality.
RELATED:
- Roger Cohen: The Loose Vuvuzuela (NYT, June 21, 2010)
- Diego Maradona is not gay (The New Republic, July 2, 2010)