Auf Deutsch / Team Muenchen Streetboys in Budapest

An interview with Rainer Schweyer of Team Muenchen Streetboys football team, a member of FGG member organizations Team Muenchen and IGLFA on their participation in the football tournament at the 2012 Eurogames in Budapest:


Rainer Schweyer ist Manager der »Team München Streetboys«, dem einzigen schwulen Team im regulären Ligabetrieb des DFB. Im ballesterer-Interview spricht er über die Drohungen bei den EuroGames in Budapest, Homophobie am Platz und die möglichen Folgen eines Promi-Outings.

Stefan Heissenberger | 15.08.2012

Warum sind die »Team München Streetboys« hier in Budapest?
Rainer Schweyer: Die diesjährigen EuroGames finden ja zum ersten Mal in einem osteuropäischen Land statt. Gerade in Ungarn, wo gleichgeschlechtliche Lebensformen von der Regierung nicht unterstützt werden, ist es wichtig, uns solidarisch zu zeigen.


Wie habt ihr die Hetze der rechten politischen Parteien gegen die Spiele aufgenommen?
Diese Äußerungen waren für uns eine Zusatzmotivation, hierher zu kommen. Wir haben den Zuschlag für Budapest von Beginn an unterstützt und mitverfolgt, insofern sind wir von der Haltung der Stadt nicht überrascht.

Weiter lesen

Hyde Football Club commit to continuing mission to tackle homophobia in football

From "Just a Ball Game?":

Shortly after being crowned Blue Square North Champions and gaining promotion to the Blue Square Premiership for the first time in the clubs history, Hyde FC also had further recognition in becoming the first football team (in the world) to receive a copy of the new Show Racism the Red Card DVD and education pack which looks at challenging Homophobia within the game.

Founding Director of ‘JUST A BALL GAME?’ (a campaign group which challenges issues with homophobia and anti-gay prejudice and helps raise awareness around the inclusion of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender people,) Lindsay England presented the club Secretary Andy McAnulty and former Chairman Allan Kenyon with the resource as one of the delivery partners for the ‘Homophobia let’s Tackle it!’ which SRtRC have produced in collaboration with a number of LGBT organisations and also celebrities including former England rugby player ben Cohen, Hollyoaks actor Kieron Richardson and Scottish comedian Rhona Cameron.

Hyde FC have also pledged to make tannoy announcements before kick -off at home matches and change their ground rules and regulations to incorporate alongside Racism,” Homophobic abuse, chanting or harassment is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the ground.”

Mr McAnulty added ‘’It’s fantastic for Hyde FC to be involved in such a campaign and we hope this will encourage other clubs throughout the whole of the UK to join in and help eradicate homophobia and anti-gay issues from the game.’

Patricia Neil Warren explains that out Team USA football coach Pia Sundhage deserves more attention.

Writing in Outsports/SB Nation, Patricia Neil Warren explains that out Team USA football coach Pia Sundhage deserves more attention.

Aug 7, 2012 - USA 4, Canada 3. What a match! In the victory tumult that erupted after that last-second winning goal of the women's soccer semifinal, the beaming weathered face and silver-haired bob of USA head coach Pia Sundhage was poignantly visible on the little screen, as she made the rounds of her team, making sure each of the women knew how thrilled and satisfied she was.

For us LGBT people, it's an important moment to remember that the out coaches are as important as the out athletes.

So often the out coaches get listed as an afterthought, after the growing list of out LGBT athletes. And admittedly there are still not many out coaches around the world. Yet we have to recognize the undeniable influence that a good coach has over individual athletes and whole teams. Win or lose, the coach's input is always a turning point. They deserve more credit for what they achieve, not only on the playing field, but off it -- in terms of the growing acceptance of LGBT presence in sports.

Read the full article about out football coach Pia Sundhage.

Soccer added to Sin City Shootout

We just added Soccer for the 2013 Sin City Shootout Sports Festival!

This brings the total to 8 different LGBT sports taking place.

The West Hollywood Soccer Club will be the sports coordinator for soccer.

Check back September 1st to register and get all the information on your sport.

www.sincityshootout.com/

Derek Liecty Gay Games Scholarships announced on his 80th birthday

Derek addresses his 100 guests

UPDATE: As of 27 July, we have already received some generous donations from friends of Derek and the Gay Games. We're looking for more such donations, to, if possible, create a specific endowment that can fund these scholarships for Gay Games to come.

On 21 July 2012 in Walnut Creek, California, Derek Liecty celebrated his 80th birthday party surrounded by more than 100 friends and family members. Included were three members of the Federation of Gay Games Board of Directors: Gene Dermody, Roger Brigham, and Doug Litwin

Although Derek’s many years of service to the Gay Games movement have been honored before – he is an Honorary Life Member and the 2006 male winner of the Tom Waddell award – additional honors were bestowed upon him on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Derek was presented with a certificate of congratulations as well as a Medal of Honor. In addition, to publicly acknowledge his 20 years of tireless service on behalf of the Gay Games Scholarship Program, the FGG announced the creation of “The Derek Liecty Gay Games Scholarships.” This will take the form of two scholarships for a male and female footballer, Derek’s favorite sport. The first of these scholarships will be awarded for the 2014 Gay Games 9 in Cleveland + Akron. As with all other Gay Games scholarships, these will be administered by the FGG.

Cutting the cake

If anyone would like to donate towards the funding of these two new scholarships, please visit HERE (indicate “Derek Liecty” in the comments section of your donation) or write to scholarships@gaygames.org

Watch the video of this presentation and the announcement of the scholarships:

15 September 2012 / Team DC's Night OUT with United pro soccer

News from Team DC:



United Night OUT
Saturday, September 15 at 7 PM vs. the New England Revolution

Pro soccer at RFK Stadium in one of the United's final home games that could have important playoff implications!  The third annual United Night OUT is hosted by the Federal Triangles Soccer Club.  More about them can be found at www.federaltriangles.org.  Stay tuned for pricing and ticket information.

4 August 2012 / Liverpool FC to take part in Liverpool Pride

The motto of Liverpool FC is "You'll never walk alone", well suited for their decision to walk with LGBT people and friends in this year's Liverpool Pride. From Gay Star News:

Liverpool FC has announced they are to march in the city’s gay pride festival, making them first premier league club to show open support for LGBT pride.

The team is captained by England FC’s Steven Gerrard and players will march with the Liverpool Ladies side under a banner displaying the club's crest. The team will also be selling club merchandise to raise money for pride.

Liverpool FC recently worked with Liverpool Pride on the Football v Homophobia tournament, hosted at the club’s academy earlier this year. The aim of the tournament was to end any association between football and homophobia.

Keep reading HERE.

Chicago Fire pro football team partners with Equality Illinois

The Chicago Fire have teamed up with LGBT rights group Equality Illinois to create the first formal partnership between the one of the Midwest's largest gay rights organizations and a local professional sports team.

Initially announced during the Chicago Pride Parade late last month, when members of the Chicago Fire organization marched with the Equality Illinois float and its "I Do" marriage equality theme, the partnership involves several events during the month of July promoting lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender rights awareness and providing the team an opportunity to provide support to the local LGBT community.
Other Chicago sports teams, including the Cubs and White Sox, have held promotional nights and donated items for silent auction fundraisers in the past, but none have officially partnered with Equality Illinois.


Read more: HERE.

En français / Sport international : la laïcité, sauf quand il s'agit de femmes

D'une part, on voit que les instances olympiques sont à cheval lorsqu'il s'agit du Ramadan. C'est normal : la pratique du culte n'a pas à s'insinuer dans la pratique sportive internationale. Mais étrangement, lorsqu'il s'agit d'opprimer les femmes, le sport ne trouve rien à redire (voir ci dessous).


Du site ajib.fr:

Cette année, les dates des Jeux Olympiques d’été de Londres coïncident avec celles du mois sacré de Ramadan. Près de 3000 athlètes seraient concernés par les effets du jeûne, soit quasiment 25% des sportifs. Chiffres qui n’ont pas l’air de gêner le CIO et les organisateurs Londoniens qui restent fermes sur la question depuis sept ans.
Le jeûne durant les épreuves

Il y a sept ans, lors de l’attribution des Jeux, de nombreux comités olympiques nationaux avaient exprimé leurs inquiétudes. 2 500 à 3 000 athlètes seraient concernés par le jeûne du mois de Ramadan. Ces derniers sont censés ni boire ni manger entre le lever et le coucher du soleil, ce qui pourrait avoir des conséquences sur leur santé physique les jours d’épreuves.

Cette année, le jeûne durera plus de 12h entre l’heure de El-Fajr et de El-Maghreb au moment des Jeux. Ce qui constitue une épreuve en soit pour tous les jeûneurs, qu’Allah agréé nos actions. Les athlètes prennent-ils un risque même s’ils s’y sont préparés ? Londres n’est pas la capital des températures arides, cependant un sportif ressent une soif importante après un très grand effort physique.

La laïcité coûte que coûte

Le CIO et le Comité Organisateur Londonien sont restés fermes sur la question. Lassana Palenfo a été employé par le CIO pour aplanir les angles avec les pays réticents face à cette conjecture. En effet, l’Égypte, le Maroc et la Turquie ne comprennent pas cette décision. L’Ivoirien Lassana Palenfo rétorque que « les Jeux doivent rester apolitiques et areligieux. Si l’on cède, les bouddhistes, les juifs demanderont des aménagements ». « La religion doit rester une affaire personnelle », a-t-il conclu.

La laïcité est sportive. Elle s’invite même aux Jeux Olympiques. Les pratiques religieuses de chacun ne doivent bien entendu pas entrer dans le stade, mais le jeûne de près de 25% des athlètes aurait dû être pris en considération. Dans le cadre des Jeux Olympiques, ces musulmans débutent cette grande compétition avec une difficulté supplémentaire. Mais nous connaissons la récompense du jeûneur. Elle est bien plus grande qu’une médaille d’or ou d’argent.

Les anthropologues vont être attentifs et les médias vont s’en donner à cœur joie. Certains athlètes seront peut être forcés de faire un choix, selon leur état de fatigue physique ou mentale. Que Dieu les préserve.

Sur le hidjab, sports.fr :

Outre la technologie sur la ligne de but et les arbitres assistants supplémentaires, la Fifa a confirmé jeudi une décision qui ne manquera pas de faire débat: la levée de l'interdiction faite aux footballeuses de porter le foulard islamique, le hijab. Le fils du roi Hussein de Jordanie, le prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, vice-président de la Fifa et membre du comité exécutif, a donc obtenu gain de cause. Au grand dam des féministes.

L'International Football Association Board (Ifab) a dit oui. Oui à la levée de l'interdiction du port du voile par les footballeuses, proposée en mars dernier, à l'occasion d'une Assemblée Générale de cet organisme lié à la Fifa et ayant autorité en matière de règles du football. Réunis jeudi à Zurich, les quatre membres de la Fifa et les quatre représentants des quatre fédérations du football au Royaume-Uni, qui le composent, ont voté à l'unanimité -de façon temporaire pour une période d'essai- cette décision après avoir étudié des rapports du responsable médical de la Fifa.

Et l'instance internationale du ballon rond de faire volte-face sur un sujet délicat. Le 3 juin 2011, l'équipe féminine d'Iran était ainsi éliminée de la course aux Jeux Olympiques après que ses joueuses ont refusé d'ôter leur voile lors d'une rencontre face à la Jordanie, le règlement de la Fifa prévoyant qu'au moins le cou et les oreilles soient découverts. Une éviction qui avait lancé le coup d'envoi de la campagne menée par le prince Ali Bin Al Hussein de Jordanie, vice-président de la Fifa et membre du comité exécutif, visant à faire changer les lois du jeu.

Une entreprise payante puisque le 3 mars dernier, l'Ifab décide, à la surprise générale, de lever l'interdiction du port du hijab, arguant qu'il s'agit d'un "signe culturel et non religieux". Un avis que ne partage pas Samir Amghar, chercheur à l'Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales cité par Le Monde: "Les quatre écoles de jurisprudence dans la théologie musulmane, qui édictent les normes en matière de loi islamique, sont unanimes à affirmer que le port du voile relève d'une obligation religieuse."

Les féministes remontées

La Fifa, elle, a estimé via son secrétaire général, Jérôme Valcke, que les "questions de sécurité et médicales" ne se posaient plus et que l'interdiction était donc levée. De quoi s'attirer les foudres des féministes. Pour Anne Sugier, présidente de la Ligue du droit international des femmes interrogée par Le Monde, "il est tout aussi paradoxal de voir que les promoteurs "de la culture de la modestie et du hijab pour les femmes à travers le monde", veulent à tout prix faire croire que le hijab et le sport sont faits l'un pour l'autre. C'est oublier que le sport c'est d'abord la fête du corps, et que le hijab est une stigmatisation du corps féminin.

L'association "Ni Putes Ni Soumises", elle, s'inquiétait déjà d'une "régression totale" en mars dernier. "Le plus grave, c'est que c'est une décision qui vient de haut, estimait sa présidente, Asma Guéfini, dans les colonnes du Parisien. Et puis, ça commence par le football et ça se termine par tous les sports. La Fifa ne connaît pas le combat des femmes comme nous. Je pense qu'elle est influencée par un lobbying intense des pays riches d'Orient, notamment le Qatar. Il y a là un revirement de sa part car dans son règlement, il est dit que « les joueurs et les dirigeants ne doivent pas arborer sur leur tenue de message ou de slogan d'ordre politique, religieux, commercial ou personnel ».

La Fifa a donc tout simplement décidé de modifier son règlement pour valider le port d'un accessoire déjà visible sur les terrains de rugby ou dans les combats de taekwondo. Une nouvelle réunion de l'Ifab est prévue en octobre. Non pas pour évoquer la condition de la femme, mais pour discuter des détails, "le seul point restant maintenant est la couleur et le dessin du foulard", a précisé Jérôme Valcke.

Olympic footballer Megan Rapinoe comes out

From Out Magazine:


Megan Rapinoe is learning to be comfortable in the spotlight. She’s got to be; it’s enthusiasts who keep soccer alive.

“We need fans; we need people to watch our games,” she says. “I don’t think it happens like it does in male sports, just because we’re playing. We do a good job of opening up and having our fans know us. But there’s a line we don’t cross, because then they will dive in.”

Some fans already have. Who can blame them? Rapinoe -- also a member of the U.S. women’s national team and a midfielder for the Seattle Sounders Women -- is one of the most well-known women’s soccer players in the world. So it’s no wonder she’s inspired some enthusiastic fans—like the German guy who tattooed her likeness on the back of his calf.

“That was strange—really strange,” she says. “I’m cute, but I’m not that cute.”

With her unmistakable shock of bleached-blond hair and upbeat personality, Rapinoe inspired legions of devotees last year after making her first World Cup appearance as a midfielder on the U.S. women’s team. She had a key role in the team’s heart-pounding wins and instigated an unforgettable moment when she grabbed a microphone and sang “Born in the U.S.A.” to the crowd.

Keep reading HERE.

En français / La FSGL et Foot for Love condament la violence lesbophobe en Afrique du sud

FSGL member FSGL supports this message from Foot for Love, a project of Les Dégommeuses to bring a lesbian football team from South Africa to Paris for a football tournament last weekend. The team is still in Paris, where they will be marching in this weekend's Gay Pride, after a week of encounters with Parisians on the subject of corrective rape and violence against LGBT people in South Africa:

Le 23 juin, à une semaine exacte de la Marche des Fiertés 2012, le township de Nyanga (Cape Town
– Afrique du Sud) a été le théâtre d’un nouveau crime de haine. Une jeune lesbienne de 22 ans,
prénommée Phumeza, a été abattue par balle dans sonpropre domicile à cause de son orientation
sexuelle.

Cet assassinat est le troisième qui frappe la communauté LGBT sud-africaine en moins d’un mois. Le
9 juin dernier, deux inconnus ont assailli et égorgé le défenseur des droits LGBT  Thapelo Makhutle.
Quatre jours plus tôt, un autre homosexuel, Neil Daniels, a également été victime d’une agression
mortelle, après avoir subi des mutilations génitales laissant peu d’espace au doute quant à la nature
du crime.

Des militantes luttant pour les droits des LGBT en Afrique du Sud, dont la photographe Zanele Muholi
et plusieurs femmes qui ont survécu à des viols correctifs, sont présentes actuellement à Paris
dans le cadre de l’opération « Foot For Love ». Elles défileront dans le carré de tête de la Marche des
Fiertés, le samedi 30 juin.

Contacts presse : Cécile Chartrain 06 07 96 18 00
Veronica Noseda 06 793 793 73
lesdegommeuses@gmail.com

TopFan researcher interviewed on the lack of out footballers

We've regularly covered the "TopFan" research of Ellis Cashmore of Staffordshire University, whom we had the pleasure of meeting at the 2012 IOC Sport for All conference. The San Francisco Chronicle looks to Cashmore to better understand incidences of homophobia in football and the lack of out players. Here's an extract:

An estimated 500,000 professionals have kicked soccer balls across the globe. So far, only one top pro has come out as gay, the late Justin Fashanu of England. Tennis, rugby and other sports have witnessed gay athletes coming out. So what of soccer?

English academic Ellis Cashmore, author of "Making Sense of Sports," published research last year in the Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Ninety-three percent of participants in the broad survey, which included average fans and people involved professionally in British soccer, opposed homophobia.

So I asked him this week: Why have no openly gay players emerged?

"Gay players are already known by the clubs' front offices as well as other players, perhaps game officials and agents; they observe a code of silence," Cashmore said. "Reason? They assume it is in none of their interests to make it known if a player is gay. Other players think they will be mocked by players from other teams, front offices think it will hurt the club's 'brand' if it is seen as the only club to have an openly gay player, refs and other officials have members of their own fraternity who are gay and wish to remain in-closet, and agents mistakenly assume their own commissions will take a hit if one of their clients is known to be gay. When a player comes out or is outed, they will all reflect on how wrong they were. Fans' reactions will be surprisingly muted."

Read in full HERE.

1 August 2012 / Unifty Cup football tournament in Stockholm

News about the Unity Cup from IGLFA member Stockholm Snipers:

UPDATE: Website online at www.unitycup.se

Stockholm Snipers are together with the straight local team Råsunda FC hosting a football tournament in Stockholm during Stockholm Pride in the beginning of August 2012. We are hoping that you would like to spend some bright summer days of football, parties and friendship with us in Stockholm.

The tournament is supported both by Svenska Fotbollsförbundet (Swedish FA) and Stockholms Fotbollsförbund (Stockholm FA) and by inviting some straight teams our goal is to build respect between the communities through football. Råsunda FC is a supporter team to AIK, the best Stockholm team which finished second in Allsvenskan (Swedish Premier League) 2011. That connection will also give extra interest and publicity to the tournament and it is possible that a team consisting of former veteran AIK-players will take part in the tournament.


The tournament will be played both as a more competitive 11-a-side and a 7-a-side tournament for up to 9 teams each. It will be played over 2 days with 3-4 games per team and a game length about 2x30 to 2x35 minutes. Everything depending on the number of participating teams.

The Venue for the tournament will be Skytteholms IP which consists of three fields with high quality artificial grass next to Råsunda Stadium (the Swedish national football stadium). The venue is situated near Solna Centrum and the metro with 8 minutes ride to the city center is only a couple of minutes away.

The tournament will be open for whole teams or individual players without a team for who we are helping to find a team to play with.

Marcus Urban urges support for petition against Ukrainian homophobia

Out retired footballer Marcus Urban in Huffington Post (h/t Keph Senett):

Soccer is a global sport with a global following -- and it's worth a lot of money. Clubs pay big money to train and develop young, talented players, they offer bigger money to attract the biggest names, companies pay millions in sponsorship and advertisements, merchandise for clubs and players is sold around the world. The pressure to perform -- and conform -- is huge.

The cost of that pressure is simply too high. I know because I paid it. "I am a soccer player, so I can't be gay"; I used to repeat this sentence to myself. In 1991, even though I was one of an elite few of the most promising young, German players, I quit my career.

Every day, I was hiding. Pretending not to be different next to trainers, teachers, managers, fans, relatives. I struggled trying to control every gesture, and I had no life outside of soccer. Still, I wanted to play against the best so the pain endured.

In the end, I had to decide. The choice was soccer or my life. I chose life.

Now, a full 20 years later, has the situation changed? Only a few days ago, Italian team's forward Antonio Cassano said he hopes there are no gay players in his ranks at the European Football Championships (Euro 2012). He's since apologized [sic], but the attitudes linger. This Championship is televised across the world and globally reported. Entire towns and families gather to watch their home team take on the continent. Families with kids who are just like I was. Whether he realizes it or not, Cassano is telling them they must conform. He's teaching them soccer's gay gag rule.

But there are places where things are worse even than they can be on the field. In Ukraine -- where Euro 2012 is hosted this year -- Parliament is about to vote on their own version of the gay gag rule passed in Russia earlier this year. A "propaganda" law to silence any reading, writing, speech or debate on anything "gay."

When I came out, I felt alive again. I was free to speak up and speak out. A right that is about to be denied to all Ukrainians.

It's not only on the field that we need to make a difference. Instead of just reminiscing, I've decided to do something about it. I am supporting people just like me, who are living in Ukraine right now, by speaking up against this law -- and you can stand with me right now, while the attention of the entire worlds on Ukraine and Euro 2012: www.allout.org/ukraine.

Soccer players, fans, and managers alike can all help get rid of the gay gag rule, on and off the field. By speaking out against Cassano's comments the Italian manager, Cesare Prandelli, is making a real difference. Now it's Ukraine's turn -- while the global spotlight is shining on them during Euro 2012. Thousands of people around the world have sent me their own stories after they heard mine. We should all be a part of making sure that soccer, the world's game, is special for every kid including the ones who are just like me.

I hope that one day, my story is part of the distant past. A past that we fought against and one we do not want to see repeated.

En français / 22 June 2012 / FSGL supports project to bring South African lesbian football team to Paris tournament

We are delighted to learn that FGG member organization FSGL has made a substantial financial contribution to Foot for Love, a project to bring a team of South African women football players to this week's "b.yourself" tournament. 

Beyond the tournament this Saturday, each day until the following weekend's Pride Parade will feature a special activity: workshops, exhibitions, film night.

We are confident that the initiative will be repeated so that the organizers, Les Dégommeuses, will be able to bring these women to Cleveland for Gay Games 9.


Via Yagg.com:

La Fédération sportive gaie et lesbienne (FSGL) vient d'annoncer qu'elle soutenait le projet Foot For Love, lancé par Les Dégommeuses avec les LOCs et en partenariat avec Paris Foot Gay et Yagg.


Le soutien de la FSGL est principalement financier – c'est le nerf de la guerre –, puisqu'elle apporte 1500 euros à Foot For Love, qui fait venir à Paris dès le 22 juin et pour une semaine une délégation de footballeuses lesbiennes sud-africaines pour, à travers le sport, mobiliser contre les discriminations et les viols correctifs dont les lesbiennes sont victimes en Afrique du Sud.

Contactée par Yagg, Cécile Chartrain, des Dégommeuses, est ravie: «Autour de ce projet, nous avons réussi à obtenir le soutien de très nombreux partenaires et le soutien de la FSGL s'ajoute à une multitude d'autres, qui vont nous permettre d'accueillir la délégation sud-africaine dans de bonnes conditions.» Pour tout savoir sur ce projet, suivez le blog Foot For Love sur Yagg.

Temps fort de la semaine de mobilisation contre les discriminations lesbophobes, le match des Princesses entre Les Dégommeuses et le club sud-africain Thokozani FC, a lieu dimanche 24 juin, vers 16 heures (entrée libre), dans le cadre du Tournoi b. yourself coordonné par Paris Foot Gay.

Retrouvez tout le programme de la semaine Foot For Love (expo, concert, film, débats) sur le dossier de presse en PDF à télécharger.

Italy coach says homophobia is as bad as racism: will he continue to play his homophobic player?

Cassano my not be a homophobe in his heart, but he is in his mouth, and his non-apology changes nothing. From The Guardian:

Antonio Cassano was wearing a diamond stud in each earlobe when he announced to a press conference in Krakow this week that he hoped there were no froci – queers, faggots, poofs – in the Italy squad. How times change.

"If I say what I think, there's going to be chaos," he said, his smile and his diamonds twinkling away. "Are there any gays in the dressing room? I hope not. In any case, it's their problem and it's nothing to do with me."

Cassano is a bit of a lad, and he was laughing as he said all this on Tuesday. He had been asked to comment on a claim by the writer and campaigner Alessandro Cecchi Paone that the present Azzurri squad contained three "metrosexuals", two gay players and one bisexual. And, presumably, a partridge in a pear tree.

Just to complicate matters, Cecchi Paone is the author of a recent book on gay people in sport, published with a foreword by Cesare Prandelli, the manager of Italy. Prandelli has said that, in his view, "homophobia is the same as racism".

[...]

Cassano issued a swift apology [sic] for his statement, along the usual PR-scripted lines. "I sincerely regret that my statements have sparked controversy and protests from gay rights groups," the striker said. "Homophobia is a sentiment that is not mine. I did not want to offend anyone and I cannot question the sexual freedom of other people. I only said it is a problem that does not concern me and it is not for me to pass judgment on the choices of others, who are all respected."

[...]

It may be that Cassano just thought he could get away with having a laugh at the press conference. But here is the perfect opportunity for Prandelli to undertake a bit of re-education. He should tell Cassano that not only are his words unacceptable, but so is the thinking behind them – and that he can take the evening off against Croatia on Thursday in order to have a think about it, while donating a portion of his tournament fee to an appropriate anti-discrimination charity.

Compared with the mess of racism, this latest cassanata is a simple business. And it should have a simple conclusion.

Read in full HERE.

Photos from opening of Euro Pride House

LGBT Action at Euro 2012

The European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) has teamed up with the Pride Solidarity Campaign (supported by FARE) to identify opportunities for LGBT inclusion & human rights during Euro 2012. Clare Dimyon of Pride Solidarity been in Ukraine since Kyiv Pride, visiting Ukrainian LGBT communities, including those in the four host cities of Kyiv, Karkhiv, Lviv and Donetsk. Clare has been promoting Football v Homophobia, the global campaign against prejudice and discrimination towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in football www.footballvhomophobia.com in preparation for Euro 2012. Meanwhile, EGLSF has been preparing for the opening of Euro Pride House in Warsaw on Friday 8 June (part of the Football for Equality initiative). Euro Pride House is a space for all fans, players and football supporters during the Championships. Its focus is on the LGBT community but is open to anyone who wants to challenge homophobia in football.

During the tournament, the partners will be delivering two specific campaigns, ‘Wear a Rainbow at Euro 2012’ and ‘YOUR Euro Pride House’.

Wear A Rainbow at Euro 2012

Last month people witnessed with horror the brutal beating of Svyatoslav Sheremet, head of the Gay-Forum of Ukraine, at the first ever gay parade in Kiev. This sparked major concerns over the safety of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered people in Ukraine as well as those attending Euro 2012 in Ukraine in June. ‘Wear a Rainbow at euro 2012’ is a campaign to show solidarity with LGBT in Ukraine during the Euros. Anyone interested in challenging the violence perpetrated against LGBT in Europe can wear a silicone rainbow wristband to show support. Wristbands will be available at Euro Pride House in Warsaw and from various venues in Ukraine and those not in Ukraine and Poland can join in with this simple act of solidarity.

YOUR Euro Pride House

This campaign aims to enable LGBT people in Ukraine to hold their own Euro Pride Houses in environments in which they feel safe. Clare from the Pride Solidarity Campaign is facilitating a range of ‘Euro Pride Houses’ in various locations across Ukraine and supplying activists with Football v Homophobia leaflets, t shirts and, of course wristbands for the ‘Wear a Rainbow at Euro 2012 campaign.

The YOUR Euro Pride House campaign also enables other European LGBT people to engage in Euro Pride House. Obviously many LGBT players, fans & activists will be watching Euro 2012 matches in their own countries, and will not be making the trip to Poland or Ukraine. YOUR Euro Pride House is a campaign to engage these fans in LGBT human rights issues in Central and Eastern Europe through football and enable us to use Euro 2012 as a vehicle to mobilise support. The campaign will enable fans, wherever they are in Europe, to be a part of Euro Pride house, by printing out the Euro Pride House logo from the Facebook page and posting a photo of themselves and their friends/team mates celebrating Euro 2012 wherever they are in Europe.

En espanol / Video report from IGLFA World Championship in Argentina

A look back at 2007.

Sporting Kansas City opened Show Me Pride with match against San Jose Earthquakes

See some photos from this match on gay4soccer HERE.

New fanzine for Euro2012 diversity

News from FairPlay:

It was a long way but now it is ready: the first Football for Equality FANZINE. Right in time for the kickoff of the UEFA EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, FairPlay proudly presents this brochure.

Under the motto “2012- Go East young (wo)men” the Fanzine addresses Homophobia and Discrimination in Football with a focus on the situation of LGBTIQs (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Intersex/Queer)
and (anti-)discrimination in the host countries of the EURO and the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Championships (EuroGames) which will be held this year in Budapest, Hungary.

CONTENT ++++ Nicole Selmer discusses relations of „East“ and „West“ and Enikő Várhelyi tells us
about the EuroGames in Budapest ++++ Activists talk with FairPlay on homophobia in Hungary and
Ukraine +++ Pavel Klymenko and Michal Karas take a look at the Polish and Ukrainian stands ++ TanjaWalther-Ahrens links sexism and homophobia in the context of women’s football +++ Dirk Brüllau onqueer fan organizations and Stefan Heissenberger about the need for LGBTIQ-sport clubs ++++++++ The EURO PRIDE HOUSES at the EURO and an exhibition showing (hi)stories of discrimination and emancipation of LGBTIQ-sportspeople ++++

INTERESTED? Send an Email to fairplay@vidc.org with your address, the numbers of copies you need
and we send you the Fanzine(s) for free. Shipping will not be charged.


WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK everybody who contributed to the Fanzine: Ulrike Lunacek for writing a
welcome statement, the authors who enlightened the topic from their different perspectives (as
journalists, fans, LGBTIQ activists, scientists,…). As well as our project partners within the EU-funden
Football for Equality project (Football Supporters Europe – FSE, European Gay and Lesbian Sport
Federation – EGLSF, Institute of Sport Development - SPOLINT, L’udia proti Rasizmu, Unione Italiana
Sport per Tutti – UISP). We also would like to thank the association Qwien (Center for gay/lesbian
culture and history Vienna, www.qwien.at) who allowed us to re-print the poster “Kick out
homophobia” and our graphic designer Patricia Enigl who showed a lot of patience.
We hope to see you at one of the many activities and events within the Football for Equality-project.
Let’s put homophobia offside together – against discrimination in football and all around!

For more information visit:
www.footballforequality.org | www.fairplay.or.at | www.facebook.com/footballforequality

Kind regards,
FairPlay – Different colours. One game.