Pre-World Cup interview with president of IGLFA

Klaus Heusslein, president of FGG member organization IGLFA, was interviewed on the subject of homophobia in football on the occasion of the launch of the 2010 Football World Cup.

Why is there still a need for an organisation like IGLFA today?
The IGLFA is the only worldwide GLBT Football organisation. We are not only organising the IGLFA Worldcup, which gives the teams from all over the world the opportunity to challenge each other but we are also trying to help teams and players from continents like Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia to participate in those tournaments through our outreach program. In addition we run the annual IGLFA World Cup which provides teams from all continents the opportunity to enjoy different styles of football as well as nurture the camaraderie inherent in sport.

How have things changed over the years?
Nowadays gay and lesbian teams are participating (especially in Europe and Northern America) in regular championships and some of them are doing this as openly gay teams without ever experiencing any homophobic reactions. Though there are still a lot of countries (even in Europe) in which homophobia is still a big issue.

What work is the IGLFA doing to try to make the mainstream game more gay-friendly and less homophobic?
We're involved in several anti-homophobia projects, such as FARE and the recently formed Justin Campaign. Some of our member teams are trying to integrate straight players into their teams or they participate openly in regular championships and tournaments to make people understand, that we are not that much different. Homophobia is at least partly caused by the fact that the general public has little/no social contact with lesbian and gay people. Bringing people in touch with each other will help to increase understanding and acceptance. In Germany there is the highly successful Come Together Cup which bring teams to play in a competition to show that prejudice of any kind is not acceptable.

Doesn’t having separate tournaments defeat the purpose of integration?
Not at all! We do organise those tournaments but many of them are open for "straight teams". In addition these tournaments are - at least at this moment - the only opportunities for teams from less liberal countries, to live there sexual orientation openly also in a sphere of a sport competition. Organising "gay tournaments" and promoting them in the so-called "normal" mass media; like in 2008 during the IGLFA Worldcup in London, might also attract the attention of the public and can help in that way to change their minds.

Read the full interview HERE.