JUST A BALL GAME? MEDIA RELEASE- For
immediate release.
FARE ASKED TO CHALLENGE UEFA TO ACT ON HOMOPHOBIA.
As a member of FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) the
UK based, LGBT voluntary group JUST A
BALL GAME? (JBG?) calls on the anti-racism organisation to take a stand against
UEFA and demand answers from them as to why they have been reluctant in the
past 12 months to even begin an investigation around the gay slur comments of “
y esos maricones” (those faggotts) which Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho made
to a referee prior to his team’s Champions League match in Moscow in February
last year.
The European football
competition organisers UEFA have (and quite rightly so) taken action
immediately on a number of occasions in recent years around any allegations of
Racism, but unfortunately they have refused to act at all around a high profile
manager who was clearly caught on camera using homophobic language.
JBG? are aware that both FARE and LGBT sports organisation
EGLSF (European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation) are working in partnership
at times with UEFA, in the case of FARE they have received “considerable
financial support in recent years” from UEFA, and both groups are “partners of
the UEFA football and social responsibility portfolio, an action party funded
by the European Commission (DG Justice)” and there may be a reluctance for both
to shy away from putting any pressure on UEFA, but we believe that as 2 of the
big players in sports fight against discrimination FARE and EGLSF need to apply
pressure those in authority at UEFA.
Remind them of their
own 5-point action plan against homophobia which formed pages of the UEFA 2006 Guide for Clubs, produced as part of the
2nd Unite Against Racism Conference in Barcelona, and of their obligation to an
LGBT community, also that UEFA have a duty to take any form of homophobia
seriously.
Founder of JBG?- Lindsay England, stated, ” I was extremely
disappointed that when the comments from Mr Mourinho were given out no investigation
was ever made by UEFA, likewise FARE were not seen to take any action or
question UEFA about the situation which
a is particularly sad silence from all.“
UEFA were contacted by JBG? and French counter parts Paris
Foot Gay who wrote an open letter to UEFA, but rather than inform of any
procedure they may follow UEFA replied, “ We have priorities and this is not
one.”
Contact
for further information:
Founder
-Lindsay England
info.justaballgame@gmail.com
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