Lets hope the beautiful game can rid itself of one of its very vilest elements.
This is a stunningly effective way to highlight the very real presence of homophobia still very much in force at stadia up and down the country. The video manages to perfectly illustrate just how vile and despicable certain behaviour at a football match can be by placing such actions in another environment, therefore heightening and pinpointing just why such mindless and bigoted acts must be booted out of the game.
It is a sad state of affairs when an issue such as this still needs to be addressed and that in 2010 we are still seemingly tolerant of the way some people (I won’t call them football fans for to do so would be an abomination) behave at football matches. The game has gone some way to eradicating racist abuse with the help of ever changing attitudes and a very effective ‘Kick Racism Out’ campaign has further aided the push to prevent idiots from being allowed to vent their vicious bile whilst in the guise of a supporter of the game. Also it should be noted that the lead actor in this video puts in a startlingly performance that will hopefully go some way to belittling those he is very accurately imitating.
Here are the views of some others within the game on the campaign.
Here’s some quotes:
Sir Elton John: “I fully support the initiative and hope people realise that homophobic abuse at matches should not be tolerated.”
FA chairman, Lord Triesman: “Both The FA and Kick It Out are committed to challenging all forms of discrimination in football and making the game family friendly and it’s our hope that everyone involved across all levels of the game will give the film’s anti homophobia message their full support.”
The FA has already confirmed that they plan to use the film as a training and education tool for matchday stewards in stadiums around the country.
*Brighton and Hove Albion manager, Gus Poyet: “There is no place for abusive behaviour of any kind in football and it is totally unacceptable. The game is there to be enjoyed by everyone, from all walks of life, regardless of age, race, background or sexual orientation.”
*The call for more work in this area was originally raised by supporters of Brighton & Hove Albion who contacted The FA via the Football Supporters Federation in 2006.
PFA Chief Executive, Gordon Taylor: “The PFA is proud of its work in the field of anti-racism. The English game is a beacon of diversity and it is unacceptable for the players involved to be subjected to abusive chanting be it racist or homophobic whilst they play. I applaud the ongoing work in this arena.”
Kick It Out founder and Chair, Lord Herman Ouseley: “We believe the film is a decisive step in the long battle to tackle homophobic attitudes, abuse and harassment.”
Support for the campaign has also come from other sports with Irish hurler, Donal Óg Cusack, who came out as gay last year, applauding both The FA and Kick It Out for their work in tackling homophobia: “The FA is showing excellent leadership in this. When I came out to a team which was at the top of its game the reaction could be summed up in two words. ‘Yeah? So?’
“Anything less than that response dishonours and disfigures any sport we play or are associated with and that’s why this film and campaign is so important.”
Chief Executive of England’s Rugby Football Union, Francis Barron, is also backing the initiative: “We welcome any scheme that seeks to remove discrimination from sport and which enhances the experience of gay or lesbian participants playing or watching sport.”