Bradford City Women FC become JUST A BALL GAME? partner club.

            

Just A Ball Game? very proud to have The Bantams Women's team as a partner club.

Bradford City Women's Football Club provides opportunities for women and girls of all ages to train and play football at the highest possible level in the English football leagues.

The team are one of the biggest women's football clubs in the area and welcome players of all ages and ability and is run by a willing band of unpaid volunteers.

They play under the name of Bradford City Women's Football Club, although they are financially independent from Bradford City FC. The club have to raise all their own funds to enable the players to train and play at the very top of their chosen sport. Each player pays to play and has to combine working in their normal day to day jobs or studies, and the considerable demands of training twice a week & playing matches on a Sunday across the country.

Lindsay England founder of Just A Ball Game? says:

" TEAMING UP WITH BCWFC GIVES JUST A BALL GAME? A CHANCE TO SPREAD THE WORD ON OUR CAMPAIGN WORK WHICH SEEKS TO RAISE AWARENESS AROUND LGBT+ INCLUSION AND VISIBILITY AND ALSO CHALLENGE WHAT IS SEEN AS HOMOPHOBIA OR ANTI-GAY."

 "WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE MEN'S TEAM SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN FOR SEVERAL SEASONS NOW AND WE ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH THE WOMEN'S SQUAD TO SHOWCASE HOW SERIOUSLY FOOTBALL IN BRADFORD IS AROUND EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY.

"JUST A BALL GAME? WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE AT BCWFC FOR THE PARTNERSHIP  WHICH SHOWS SUPPORT FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK WE ARE DOING AND THE REAL DIFFERENCE WE ARE MAKING IN CHALLENGING DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE GAME."

"WE HAVE A HUGE INTEREST IN THE WOMEN'S GAME AND ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE RESPECT AND ACCEPTANCE IT BRINGS TO YOUNG PEOPLE."

History

1988: Bradford City Women's Football Club is formed after linking up with local youth centres already involved in training girls.

1989: The Club becomes a founding members of the Yorkshire and Humberside Women's League, winning promotion from Division Two, runners up in the Yorkshire Plate and reaching the semi-finals of the knockout cup.

LINK to CLUB: http: //www.bcwfc.co.uk/

BELLES BECOME LATEST JUST A BALL GAME? PARTNER CLUB.

                                BELLES BECOME LATEST JUST A BALL GAME? PARTNER CLUB.

Following last week’s event day with Doncaster Rovers Belles JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) are very proud to announce that ‘the Belles’ are the latest team to come on board as a partner club.

A number of JBG? resources were handed out at ’the Belles’ home game v Reading WFC to the attending fans and prior to the kick off player wore JBG? t-shirts during the warm up to help raise awareness for our campaign work.

The Belles have an 'out and proud' player in goalkeeper Nicola Hobbs who is also a JBG? patron and the club are very proud to show visible support to an LGBTI community.

 The club was originally formed as the Belle Vue Belles in 1969 and are one of the most decorated women's clubs in the English history of the game, they had this to say about the partnership; “ JBG? is an incredibly important organisation which aims to tackle discrimination, particularly with regard to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI) issues within sport.”

LINK TO JBG? partner clubs: http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/partners/partner-clubs

 

Manchester United FC u17 Centre of Excellence player Emily Ramsey signs as youngest ever Patron of JUST A BALL GAME?

Manchester United FC u17 Centre of Excellence player Emily Ramsey signs as youngest ever Patron of JUST A BALL GAME?

For a number of years now Just A Ball Game? (JBG?) have been proud to build on an LGBT/ straight alliance and we are very excited to announce our youngest ever Patron and straight ally in Emily Ramsey.

 At 15 years old Emily plays Goalkeeper for Manchester United u17 Centre of Excellence team and is also a current England u16 squad member after making her debut against Germany in November 2015 at St. George’s Park. Playing the game is not the only talent the young Lioness has, Emily also qualified in 2015 as a referee.

                                                                

Emily had this to say about joining JBG? campaign organisation, "I am proud to have been asked to become a young patron of Just A Ball Game? Hopefully, other young athletes will be able to relate to my journey, and see that role models don't have to be famous - anyone can be one if they work hard and follow their dream.

I'm looking forward to working with JBG? to help promote equality in sport across all ages and abilities."

A spokes person for JBG? says,” It’s our hope that Emily will be seen by young people as someone to look up to and aspire to in all she achieves, and that as an organisation we will support her career wherever that may take her.”

Contact for further information:

Founder-Lindsay England info@justaballgame.co.uk

www.justaballgame.co.uk .

Bedfordshire FA sign as partner organisation.

 Bedfordshire FA sign as partner organisation.

We are very happy to announce that one of the latest organisations to join JUST A BALL GAME? as a partner is, Bedfordshire FA.

Here is what Beds FA had to say, for more info please contact: Beds FA Inclusion and Safeguarding officer Sarah DaCosta sarah.dacosta@bedfordshirefa.com

1st February marked the beginning of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) History Month which will see a string of events, initiatives and projects launched across the United Kingdom.

The overall aim of LGBT History month is to promote equality and diversity for the benefit of the public. The month honours the lives and achievements of the LGBT community whilst seeking to promote the welfare of LGBT people and raise awareness of important issues involving the community.

Just A Ball Game? Workshop
To celebrate LGBT History Month at Beds FA, on Wednesday February 10th, Lindsay England from Just A Ball Game? deliverd a workshop to staff and volunteers to raise awareness of inclusion and LGBT equal opportunities in football from grassroots to elite. Everybody was made welcome to attend the workshop which was free and lasted around  1 ½ hours.

Lindsay England is the founder of Just A Ball Game?, a  campaign group which helps both grass roots and professional sports groups, organisations , authorities, along with governments, education establishments and trade unions build on their existing work. The aim is to deliver the core values of 'SiR' SAFETY-INCLUSION-RESPECT around LGBT people, sexual orientation and gender identity. Further information can be found at their website here: www.justaballgame.co.uk

Lindsay is a member of the new Beds FA IAG (Inclusion Advisory Group) and we are really excited to be working with Lindsay and all the members of the IAG who bring a wealth of diverse knowledge and experience to the group.

Resources and presentation supported by:

ARE LESBIAN NIGERIAN FOOTBALLERS SILENCED BY LAW TO ALLOW THEM TO COMPETE AT 2015 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP?

ArE Lesbian Nigerian footballers silenced by law to allow them to compete at 2015 Women’s world Cup?

Is it time for FIFA to stand up and be counted and insist on fairy play and ethics for all at the Women’s World Cup to be held in Canada 2015?

Last night (07.12.14) saw millions of people the world over watch the draw for the group games of the WWC 2015 and Nigeria will face USA, Australia and Sweden in group D. The Canadians also held the Women’s U20’s World Cup earlier this year and saw Germany beat Nigeria 1-0 in the final, but the silence from FIFA was defining on allowing the Super Falcon’s side to compete at all despite FIFA in 2013 stating they would investigate fully should a ruling be brought in around forbiddance of their players to be openly homosexual with the expected signing of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition Bill) into Nigerian law. 

The introduction of this law also means that Nigeria’s players who engage in nothing more than conversation, share a visit to watch a game or who participate with in duties alongside fellow competitors in the Women’s World Cup (many of whom are publically open about their sexual orientation) or engage with fans who are from an LGBT community will be breaking the said law.

Part of the Act reads: “A person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organizations; directly or indirectly makes public show of same sex amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment, and anyone convicted of entering into a same-sex marriage contract or civil union faces up to 14 years imprisonment.”

That law came into effect dated 7^th January 2014 when it was signed by Nigeria’s President -Goodluck Jonathan.

Around four years ago news began to break that a coach of Nigeria’s International Women’s Football had sacked lesbian players from the team. A few months later this news was confirmed when Super Falcons coach, Eucharia Uche stirred the hornets’ nest when she made a remark regarding her position on ‘lesbianism’ during the lead up to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“Yes, the lesbians in our team were really a big problem,” she said. “But since I am coach of the Super Falcons, that has been cleared up. There are no more lesbians on my team; I cannot tolerate this dirty life.” 

For her bluntness, she drew the ire of FIFA and a number of international gay groups. She was cautioned by the world football governing body, which through its head of Women’s competition, Tatjana Haenni said, “FIFA is against all forms of discrimination”.

The Nigeria Football Federation NFF in 2013 denied  that Uche had stated any of this and also commented that they had  not been under any FIFA probe or query.
The NFF’s Chief Media Officer, Ademola Olajire, was also quoted to have said.
“We all know of these vices, because lesbianism has become a thing of common knowledge that the female footballers no more hide it among themselves. However, those who indulge in the nasty act had promised to stop it and the NFF is putting measures in place to ensure that they keep to their promises.”

One former Nigerian football player, Chichi Igbo who is openly lesbian and not ashamed of her sexual orientation who now plays in Denmark says “I know how different I am. I love me just the way I am with all my imperfections and flaws and I owe nobody any explanation and won’t apologise for who I am.” Unfortunately none of her LGBT colleagues based in Nigeria are able to do the same and speak out.

Former National Athletics coach, Amelia Edet and Football coach, Joy Etim have been unanimous in their support for the bill.
“I think the President is doing the right thing because it (homosexuality) is something that is so common. It’s an old thing that has always been, even in sports; but it is not something that should be accepted. It is a welcome development and it is left for us as Nigerians to say that we are supporting the decision that he is taking,” Edet said.

Etim agreed. “It (homosexuality) should be criminalized. We want people to know that it is not good for sports men and women because if not tackled on time, it will become as widespread as cultism in Nigerian higher institutions”, she said.
Coach Edet agrees that a high number of female athletes engage in lesbianism, going by her years of experience with the Falcons and female track and field athletes.
“I had a problem when I was with the first set of our female footballers because some of them happened to be lesbians.” 

Football coach, Etim agreed that the trend is widespread in sports. She however voiced fears at the early age some players now get involved in the act. “They need to be lectured about what lesbianism is and to be told that it is bad. It is rampant”, she said.
“I happened to interview some girls who came from outside Lagos and these girls were from a village and I had to tell them what it means and the repercussions that follow. Some of them are as young as 13 years. If you want to know them, they look and walk like boys, and even call themselves ‘Fine boys’ and you will know who plays the role of the male and the role of the female.”
Etim said, “I played football during the mid-eighties to early nineties and it wasn’t common during our time. But now it is too much. When I served as a coach with the national team, I heard there were a lot of them in the team but I was more focused on the technical aspect of the job.
“It is likely that it was going on but because they were big girls, they wouldn’t do it where I will see them.  Some of them would even go as far as paying for hotels outside the camp so there was little anyone could do.

Dilichukwu Onyedinma, was appointed by the NFF in October (2014) as deputy head of Fair play and Ethics, and is the person who caused international controversy with her campaign to drive lesbians out of Nigerian football a year ago when she stated: “Yeah, we don’t tolerate lesbianism and we always discuss it whenever we meet. We always warn clubs and club chairmen, to please tell their players to desist from it, because any player that we pick for national competitions, and we hear a little story that is involved in that, we disqualify the player.” 

As of yet nothing has been explained as to how Onyedinma’s views and discriminatory actions can be reconciled with her duties as deputy head of the NFF Committee of Ethics and Fair Play and Article Three of the FIFA Statutes which aim to abolish all forms of discrimination in football.
FIFA : “Discrimination of any kind against a Country, private person or group of people on account of race, skin colour, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, wealth, birth or any other status, sexual orientation or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.”

Is it not now time for FIFA to take a zero tolerance towards member countries and their employees who are seen to be discriminatory on many occasions and bring in sanctions against these people and ultimately the country FA’s and ban them from competing on the world’s greatest stage in football of a World Cup Finals?