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Fifa president Sepp Blatter has tried to laugh off suggestions that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will not be open to gay football fans.
Gay rights groups have criticised the decision to award the tournament to a country where homosexuality is illegal.
But Blatter, apparently joking, said: "I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities."
On a more serious note, Blatter added: "I'm sure when the World Cup will be in Qatar there will be no problems."
Qatar was the surprise winner of the race to host the 2022 World Cup, beating Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States when the 22-man Fifa executive committee voted in their favour in Zurich on 2 December.
Fifa has since come in for criticism after the decision to take the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time.
Concerns were raised about hosting the tournament during the summer months in a country where temperatures can reach 40C to 50C while current laws mean drinking alcohol in public is forbidden.
Gay groups are also worried about the acceptance of homosexual fans but Blatter does not foresee any difficulties, saying: "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.
"If they want to watch a match somewhere in Qatar 2022, I'm sure they will be admitted to such matches."
Blatter says even if there are problems, there is still plenty of time to sort out any issues.
"I think there is too much concern for a competition that will be done only in 12 years," he added.
"But this gives me the opportunity to say that in Fifa, and this is in the statutes of Fifa, whether it is in politics, whether it is in religion, we don't want racism, and we know what this means, and neither do we want discrimination.
"What we want is just to open this game to everybody and open it to all cultures and this is what we are doing in 2022."
Blatter, who was visiting South Africa - the hosts of the 2010 tournament, insisted money had no part in taking the competition to new parts of the world.
Russia won the right to host the 2018 competition.
"This is development of football and don't speak about money," said Blatter.
"This has nothing to do with money as it had nothing to [do with it] with Africa.
"It is the development of the game. We have to take to places where it can improve and have a social and cultural impact. And it's what we did here in Africa."
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