Featured events


7-9 September 2012
Brussels Games
Brussels

Brussels Gay Sports will offer a weekend of fun and fairplay in the capital of Europe, with volleyball, swimming, badminton, and tennis, as well as fitness and hiking.

Learn more HERE.
26-28 October 2012
QueergamesBern
Bern, Switzerland

The success of the first edition of the QueergamesBern proved the need for an LGBT multisport event in Switzerland. This year will be even bigger, with badminton, bowling, running, walking, floorball.

Learn more HERE.
17-20 January 2013
Sin City Shootout
Las Vegas
The 7th Sin City Shootout will feature softball, ice hockey, tennis, wrestling, basketball, dodgeball, bodybuilding and basketball.

Learn more HERE.

13-16 June 2013
IGLFA Euro Cup
Dublin
After this year's edition in Budapest at the EuroGames, the IGLFA Euro Cup heads to Dublin for 2013, hosted by the Dublin Devils and the Dublin Phoenix Tigers.

Learn more HERE.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

UEFA refuses to take action againt homophobic player

A message from Lindsay England of "Just a Ball Game?":

NO ACTION FROM UEFA!!

"Just a Ball Game?" are saddened to hear that it seems that UEFA have decided that they will not be taking any action against Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho for comments he made live on TV towards referees when he alluded to them as "y esos maricones" ( and those faggots) during a training session on the CSKA pitch on 20th February.

This morning, UEFA spokesperson Veron Mossingo Omba stated that UEFA "Don't know when they will do something against Mourinho; we have priorities and this is not one! We have a lot of work and we don’t know when we will work on it."

It seems also that Mr Omba could not even put any time frame for an investigation on the issue.

Founding director of "Just a Ball Game?" Lindsay England responded: "For five months now we have seen investigations taken place by the FA [Football Association] here in England as homophobic comments from a number of players have appeared on social network site Twitter, with fines being imposed on the offenders."

"It saddens us because six years ago UEFA introduced a five-point plan of action against sexism and homophobia to their UNITE AGAINST RACISM initiative in partnership with FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) at the second UAR conference at the Camp Nou, Barcelona."

The statements in that very same UEFA documentation claimed both of the following:

A) The reason players have not come out is because the structures of the game of football are not seen as tolerant enough for a player to risk coming out.

B) It is at club level that action to tackle racism and homophobia bears most fruit.

We here at Just a Ball Game? can only do so much to promote diversity and challenge homophobia within the game. The people at the very top of the game must also take some responsibility and action. Messages and action and ones that are genuine also have to come from leaders in the game.

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