Sir, – Neil Francis's apology over his clumsy comments on homosexuals in sport seemed genuine and should be accepted (Sport, February 18th). However, it's disappointing that none of the media picked up on the finer details of the same apology. Francis said, "I realise that I was in a field of landmines and I stood on one or two."
Exactly why is the issue of gay men in sport a “field of landmines?” Making this a touchy issue only serves to exacerbate the problem of homophobia that may (and probably does) exist in sport. Likewise, how does ballet come into the argument at all?
People like Neil Francis should be able to express whatever opinions they want, but categorising homosexuals in this way is analogous to your newspaper printing an article espousing stereotypes on Irish people. You don’t need to be told about the outrage that would incur. Homosexuals deserve no better treatment by the media than anyone else. They do deserve equal treatment, however. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL MINIHAN,
Johns Hill,
Waterford.
Sir, – In 1966 a Church of Ireland divinity student read a paper on homosexuality to the Trinity College Dublin Theological Society. The guest speaker was Dr McCracken, a well-known Dublin psychiatrist. I remember clearly two things that Dr McCracken said: that nobody has a choice as to whether they are heterosexual or homosexual and the prop forward in the front row of a rugby scrum may be homosexual. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK SEMPLE,
Richmond Park,
Monkstown,
Co Dublin.