The International Gay and Lesbian Football World Championship was held in London last week.

Forty teams, from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Uganda, Ireland, Iceland, Denmark, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Japan and Australia took part in the competition, which was hosted by the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA).

Qualifying matches were played in Regent’s Park, and the finals at the club ground of League One team Leyton Orient FC.

English team the Stonewall Lions beat Argentina 5-0 in the final last Saturday, August 30.

Peter Tatchell, Britain’s most prominent gay human rights campaigner, said the Championship “challenges the machismo and homophobia that is often associated with football in many parts of the world.

“Gay footballers help break down stereotypes and prejudice. They are ambassadors for gay inclusion and equality. Gay football enhances understanding and acceptance of gay and lesbian people.”

The Championship was sponsored by (among others) Kick It Out, the peak UK body fighting racism in football.

Since October 2005, Kick It Out has adapted its programs to tackle homophobia, offering grants to local football clubs to encourage ethnic, sexual and other minorities to take up the sport.

England national soccer coach Fabio Capello endorsed the idea, saying in a Kick It Out media statement, “For me, [this] epitomises all that is good about football. Diversity, inclusion, harmony and respect.”

The governing body of British soccer (as the game is known in Australia), the Football Association, assisted the original London bid for the IGLFA World Championship with technical assistance and advice, and provided all the referees and officials for the tournament.

Contrast that with the Australian Football League’s (AFL’s) approach to sexual minorities in football, and you can see how far we have to go. Why won’t the AFL follow the FA’s example?

Equity & Sports Ethics Manager Lucy Faulkner first set out the FA’s objective in 2003.

She said, “What we would want to have in football is a situation where anybody should feel comfortable, regardless of their sexual orientation, ethnic background, or sex”.

Consequently, the FA adopted the following policy:

“Male or female, an individual’s sexual orientation should never be a barrier to people taking part in – and enjoying – our national sport.  ... the FA will work to ensure every door is open for members of the gay and lesbian communities to participate and progress within football.”

Why doesn’t the AFL do the same?

We know from research by La Trobe University that young same-sex attracted people feel especially uncomfortable – in fact most unsafe – at sporting clubs and venues. In fact, only 19 percent of same-sex attracted young people say they feel safe at sporting events and venues.

The same research tells us that same-sex attracted young people are much more likely to become depressed and harm themselves because of their exclusion from social activities.

So it makes sense – especially in country areas, where sporting clubs play a major role in the community – to make football and netball clubs places ‘where anybody should feel comfortable’.

The Victorian Country Football League is already taking the first steps towards this objective. But there’s been no leadership from the top on this issue; no action from the peak body for Australian rules football. The AFL pays lip service to inclusion, but takes no positive action on sexual and gender diversity. They would do better to study what the FA has done, instead of continuing to do sweet FA.

The FA has:

•    Expanded the role of its national free hotline for reporting racist incidents at matches to include homophobic comments and behaviour (2005).

“There is a problem with homophobic abuse in the game, directed not just at players but also referees and also opposing fans,” explained Faulker in a media statement, with crowds regularly taunting players as ‘poufs’ or  ‘queers’ when they go down injured.

•    Instructed referees that players or officials using homophobic language are in breach of Law 12, which bans offensive, insulting and abusive language on the pitch – and is punished with a red card offence. (A red card means the offending player must immediately leave the pitch and takes no further part in the match.)

•    Secured the agreement of all clubs to change the rules at their grounds (2007-2008 season onwards), banning homophobic abuse, chanting and harassment. Offending fans can now be ejected from the grounds or arrested.

Two men were recently convicted of homophobic chanting at a game between Blackpool (the gay capital of northern England) and Preston North End. They were fined and banned from matches at both grounds for 12 months.

•    Established Respect, a ‘program of activities to combat unacceptable behaviour in our game at every level, on the pitch and from the sidelines’, in partnership with the Premier League, the Football League, and players, managers (coaches) and officials.

•    Formed a close working relationship with the Gay Football Supporters Network, to monitor the effectiveness of the anti-homophobia program.

But so far, despite all that has been achieved, the sport is not yet welcoming enough of homosexuality that a professional football player has felt comfortable to publically come out. Indeed, only one British football player has ever come out in the history of the game: Justin Fashunu, in 1990.

Fashunu, who was subjected to horrific racial and homophobic abuse by fans, players, and even his own team manager, suffered from depression, and eventually killed himself in May 1998.

Gay football team the Brighton Bandits are campaigning to have May 2, 2009 declared Justin Fashunu Day, asking Premier and League players to wear black armbands and observe a minute’s silence before their matches.

Would a gay AFL player who outed himself now fare any better?

Read about homophobia and the AFL here.

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