News: Prince Harry, Ricky Martin, Presbyterian Church, Madonna

The Simpsons beat Qatar University to the punch in its plans for the 2022 World Cup.

Prince Harry graces the cover of GQ UK.

Puerto Rican pastor condemns Ricky Martin's homosexuality: “I want to say to Ricky Martin that there is no need to go to the extreme by making our children and youths confused."

Rumors float around the Internet about a Britney Spears/Enrique Iglesias tour.

  Elton John has inspired gay Westlife singer Mark Feehily to become a father.

The Presbytery of Coastal Carolina votes for no gay clergy: "The Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Order requires clergy candidates to 'live either in fidelity with the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.' The proposed changes would have removed all reference to sexual orientation or behavior, in effect leaving the decision of fitness to serve to the local presbyteries."

Reese Witherspoon got hitched in Ojai, California yesterday.

Mariah Carey could give birth any day now.

The employees that Madonna recently fired from her Raising Malawi charity are suing her for wrongful dismissal.

Take a look at the houses that Jeremy Renner has successfully flipped over the years.

If you come across a deadly cobra in the Bronx it's probably the same one that went missing from the Bronx Zoo yesterday.

Controversy surrounds "Social Transformation By the Power of God," to be held at Harvard next month: "More than 1,400 people have already signed a petition here on Change.org, calling on Harvard to address this conference and not give a pedestal to people who believe gays should be executed and that Muslims and women are bringing down the reputation of the United States."

Gareth Thomas has an invite to the nuptials of the year - Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding: "I'm a friend of William through rugby. I'm just going to the service. I'm not nervous about it. It will be really good."

FIFA Head Sepp Blatter Apologies for World Cup Joke About Gays

FIFA President Sepp Blatter apologized for cracking a joking earlier this week that gays should "refrain from sexual activities" at the Qatar World cup in 2022 because homosexuality is illegal there. 

Said Blatter: "I will not enter into such a discussion but I will just say here if I hurt a group of people in the world by making those comments then I regret it. It was not my intention and it will never be my intention to go into any discrimination because this is exactly what we (FIFA) are against, so therefore if somebody feels they have been hurt, then I regret and I present apologies for that."

In related news, there were rumors earlier this week that some members of the World Cup Selection Committee which chose Qatar were paid $10 million for their vote.

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Watch: FIFA President Sepp Blatter Jokes That Gays Should 'Refrain from Sexual Activities' at 2022 Qatar World Cup

FIFA President Sepp Blatter was asked about gays who would like to go to Qatar for the World Cup in 2022 but are too afraid because homosexuality is banned in the country.

After laughing and looking around, Blatter responded, jokingly, "I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities."

He quickly clarified, but not before media took note of his rather tasteless joke.

Added Blatter: "We are definitely living in a world of freedom and I'm sure when the World Cup will be in Qatar in 2022, there will be no problems. You see in the Middle East the opening of this culture, it's another culture because it's another religion, but in football we have no boundaries. We open everything to everybody and I think there shall not be any discrimination against any human beings be it on this side or that side, be it left, right or whatever."

Watch clips of Blatter's statements, AFTER THE JUMP...

Former NBA star John Amaechi slammed Blatter:

“Anything less than a full reversal of his position is unacceptable and if the FA and football associations around the world fail to acknowledge this insult, they too will be complicit. If sport cannot serve to change society, even temporarily during the duration of an event like the World Cup that invites the world to participate, then it is little more than grown men chasing a ball and we should treat it as such."

Enrique Iglesias Says He'll Keep Promise to Water Ski Naked

Enrique Iglesias was asked about his World Cup promise:

"If Spain wins, I'm going to get drunk and ski naked in Biscayne Bay. That is what we used to do when we were kids."

Said Iglesias when asked if he would honor it: "A bet is a bet!"

No schedule has been announced.

Top German Football Agent Claims There are 'a Bunch of Gays' on the World Cup Team

 

Germany's World Cup Team 2010

German football agent Michael Becker, agent to top footballer Michael Ballack, is making sports headlines across Germany after an interview was published in which he attributed the elegant style of the World Cup team to the fact that "a bunch" of its players are gay.

The Guardian reports:

In an essay entitled New German Men, Aleksander Osang recounts an interview he had with Becker prior to the World Cup in which the agent allegedly told him which of the players in the team were gay. He later said that a former national player was ready to reveal the "bunch of gays" in the German team, according to Osang. Asked about the sexuality of one of the newer players, Becker, who is a lawyer by profession, referred to him as being "half gay".

Osang went on to say that Becker put the new adroit, lighter and elegant style of play that has become a trademark of trainer Joachim Löw's players down to their homosexuality, in contrast to the typically more aggressive and offensive German style of past years, but suggested they played too delicately to assure themselves a place in the final.

According to Der Spiegel, when Becker made his remarks about the "bunch of gays" he expected the ears of fellow journalists present to "prick up". "But they only nodded placidly," said Osang. "All sports journalists seemed to already know the alleged homosexual conspiracies enveloping Löw's team. The rumours accompanied our team to South Africa and evidently belong to the team."

Germany came third in the World Cup, going further than expected, after an excellent run that included wins over England and Argentina.

Becker responded to the controversy: "Becker has neither denied nor confirmed that he made the comments, but has since said he was 'misunderstood' and that the interview was not 'authorised', a common journalistic practice in Germany whereby the interviewee has the right to change his remarks after the interview. Osang said he stood by his article, saying that Becker had told him 'unbelievable stories that I took down in my notebook and Becker didn't seem to have anything against me doing so'."

Michael Ballack did not play in the World Cup due to an injury.