Stonewall puts spotlight on football authorities

Stonewall, the LGB equality organisation has teamed up with leading bookmaker Paddy Power to challenge professional football players to show their support for gay footballers by wearing rainbow coloured boot laces. The focus of the campaign is to try and change attitudes rather than persuade players to come out.

The laces have been distributed to every footballer across all 134 professional clubs in the English and Scottish Football leagues. Each player has been asked to wear the special laces in their club fixtures on Saturday 21 and Sunday, September 22.

The campaign’s simple message of ‘Right Behind Gay Footballers’ is designed to kick start a change in attitudes and make the national game more gay-friendly.

Paddy Power and Stonewall are asking fans and the public to back the campaign by taking to social media and using the hashtag #RBGF, Right Behind Gay Footballers, during the week and in the build-up to the weekend fixtures.

Monday, September 16, sees the start of a week of activity shining the spotlight on homophobia in football. The campaign will see daily advertising and editorials across traditional media, billboard sites, and through social media with the aim of getting support from footballers, celebrities, fans and the public.

Stonewall Deputy Chief Executive Laura Doughty, said:

“It’s time for football clubs and players to step up and make a visible stand against homophobia in our national game. That’s why we’re working with Paddy Power on this fun and simple campaign. By wearing rainbow laces players will send a message of support to gay players and can begin to drag football in to the 21st century.”

Paddy Power, the bookmaker’s spokesman, said:

“We love football but it needs a kick up the arse. In most other areas of life people can be open about their sexuality and it’s time for football to take a stand and show players it doesn’t matter what team they play for. Fans can show they are right behind this by simply tweeting using the #RBGF hashtag whilst all players have to do is lace up this weekend to help set an example in world sport.”

A recent report report produced by the Gay Football Supporters Network showed that seven in ten football fans who have attended a match had heard or witnessed homophobia on the terraces and over half of fans thought the Football Association, Premier League and Football League weren’t doing enough to tackle anti-gay abuse.

To read read a copy of the full report CLICK HERE:  

Earlier this year former Leeds and United States winger Robbie Rogers announced he was gay after retiring from the game through injury. He later changed his mind about retiring and signed to play for LA Galaxy in California.The only other professional footballers to ever come out were former England Under 21 international Justin Fashanu, the first black footballer to command a one million pound transfer fee when he moved from Norwich City to Nottingham Forest in 1981. He committed suicide in 1998, eight years after coming out in the national media and Anton Hysen, the son of former Liverpool defender Glenn Hysen who came out in an interview with Swedish Football magazine, Offside in March 2011. He plays his football in the lower Swedish football league where his career has been damaged by injury.

Locally Cllr Warren Morgan, leader of the Labour and Cooperative group on Brighton & Hove City Council and a Brighton & Hove Albion season ticket holder added his voice to the campaign.

Warren said:

“Brighton and Hove Albion have done a great deal to challenge homophobia in football. I hope Albion players can show their support for this Stonewall campaign and help to start changing attitudes towards gay players.”

 

Chris Basiurski, chair of the Gay Footballer Supporters Network, added:

“Footballers are admired for their bravery on the pitch and we encourage them to show equal bravery off the pitch by standing up for their gay teammates. We’re delighted to see a high profile anti-homophobia in football campaign with backing from a major company. This campaign challenges people to say they don’t have a problem with openly gay football players and we can all work together to eradicate homophobia from the beautiful game.”

Over the weekend of September 21/22, GFSN Teams will be supporting the campaign by wearing rainbow coloured laces during games in the GFSN League.

The GFSN League is the world’s only permanent Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans (LGB&T) amateur football league and they have over 20 teams across the UK. 12 teams are scheduled to fulfill six fixtures this weekend.

The GFSN League games scheduled for the weekend of September 21/22 are:

• London Falcons v Leicester Wildecats

• Bristol Panthers v London Titans

• Cardiff Dragons v Birmingham Blaze

• Leftfooters (London) v Wolverhampton Harts

• Saltire Thistle (Glasgow) v Yorkshire Terriers

• Nottingham Ball Bois v Mersey Marauders