The EGLSF (European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation) has given its backing to Football vs Homophobia, the International Day Against Homophobia in Football which takes place on February 19.
 
The Day is being launched in the UK by the Justin Campaign, an anti-homophobia football campaign named after Justin Fashanu - the only out gay professional football player in the UK who ended his own life in 1998.  
 
The Justin Campaign hopes that 19 February will become the one day each year where individuals, community groups, grass roots teams and professional clubs internationally can express their disapproval of homophobia in football by celebrating under the banner of Football v Homophobia.
 
The launch in the UK this year will also coincide with LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) History Month, a full month of activity celebrating the lives and achievements of the LGBT community

EGLSF Co-President, Pepe Garcia Vazquez, said:
“We welcome the news of this campaign and look forward to the future development of this initiative. For the past six years EGLSF has been leading the European campaign to tackle homophobia in football as part of the Football Against Racism in Europe network. We hope that this campaign day will unite the efforts of all those working to challenge homophobia throughout Europe”
 
EGLSF is planning a conference in Berlin later in 2010 to bring together anti-homophobia campaigners to consider next steps in the campaign to make football more accessible to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities of Europe.
 
For more information view:
www.thejustincampaign.com