Football: Still No Openly Gay Players In the UK

Football: Still No Openly Gay Players In the UK

5,000 professional footballers but none are out. Why?

Jose Mourinho welcomed by Chelsea despite homophobic insult

FA has not asked Mourinho for an apology over “faggot” abuse

London, UK - 16 August 2013

“The Premier League football season kicks off this Saturday and there are still no openly gay players out of 5,000 professional footballers in the UK. By statistical averages, there must be around 500 players who are gay or bisexual. None feel able to come out. While the rest of society has moved on, football seems stuck in a homophobic time warp,” said Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights organisation the Peter Tatchell Foundation

“Jose Mourinho has just returned to Chelsea. He was captured on camera in 2012 using the homophobic insult “maricones” (faggots) at the time of a Real Madrid Champions League match at CSKA Moscow, according to Mirror Football.
http://bit.ly/15yBrcp

“UEFA said and did nothing, despite a complaint being filed against Mourinho by the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation.
http://bit.ly/14sFJ53

“When the ‘special one’ was reappointed to Chelsea this year, the Football Association raised no queries or objections.

“The FA and Chelsea should not have allowed him to take up his post until he publicly apologised and gave an undertaking to abide by the FA's equality policies.

“Had Mourinho made a racist remark, the FA would have demanded a public apology and assurances there would be no repeat. Why the double standards?

“This indifference to homophobia at the top of the game sends the wrong signal to players and fans. It suggests that the FA doesn’t take anti-gay prejudice seriously - and certainly not as seriously as racism. No wonder players are reluctant to come out. The FA is giving mixed messages.

“To its credit the FA is doing some very good work: homophobic abuse is against ground regulations, clubs are signed up to ensure equality and a toolkit on how to tackle homophobia has been sent to the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs; coinciding with the Football v Homophobia campaign.

http://www.footballvhomophobia.com

“Although commendable, these initiatives are mostly below the radar. They make very little impact on public consciousness and are not reaching most players and fans; certainly not the hardcore homophobic minority who need them the most. The average person on the terraces is unaware they exist.

“To defeat homophobia, the FA needs to up its game, with high-profile campaigns that reach a mass football audience. This could include securing the agreement of clubs to include anti-homophobia messages on tickets, in match programmes and on stadium screens at half-time.

“These are the kind of initiatives the FA needs to promote in order to change public attitudes and make gay players feel confident to come out,” said Mr Tatchell.

ENDS

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