Homophobia in Football

[Stuttgart88]

Did Savage have any homophobic embarrassments in his career?

[Charlie Darwin]

No specific incidences but Le Saux picked him out as one player who took a particular pleasure from it.

[SkStu]

Good anchor piece on Michael Sam

http://twentytwowords.com/dallas-sportscasters-shocking-response-to-michael-sam-coming-out-as-gay/

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

No specific incidences but Le Saux picked him out as one player who took a particular pleasure from it.

I assumed Robbie Savage was at least bisexual.

[Cuyahoga]

I assumed Robbie Savage was at least bisexual.

Why is that .Because he dyes his hair blond ?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Why is that .Because he dyes his hair blond ?

Because of his latent overcompensating.

[BonnieShels]

Good anchor piece on Michael Sam

http://twentytwowords.com/dallas-sportscasters-shocking-response-to-michael-sam-coming-out-as-gay/

I wrote a wee bit about Sam over on Krank.
Jonathan Vilma is a total douchecanoe.

www.krank.ie

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Who the hell is Jonathan Vilma?

[BonnieShels]

Google him. Player for the Saints

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Olivier Bernard said that he had a gay teammate at Rangers and nobody had a problem with him.

http://www.srtrc.org/news/news-and-events?news=2025

[BonnieShels]

Olivier Bernard said that he had a gay teammate at Rangers and nobody had a problem with him.

http://www.srtrc.org/news/news-and-events?news=2025

Well that's nice of them.

[DannyInvincible]

Because of his latent overcompensating.

In what sense? Do you perceive him to be hyper-masculine or what?

Savage denies ever having engaged in or taken pleasure in homophobic taunting of Le Saux, whilst it would seem Robbie Fowler both apologised for his cretinous antics and claimed (rather naïvely, in my opinion) that football would have no issue with an openly-gay player the other day: http://www.itv.com/sport/football/article/2014-01-11/robbie-fowler-sorry-for-le-saux-taunts-i-learned-from-my-mistakes/


Robbie Fowler insists it would not be a problem for any footballer to come out as gay now - and says he learned a valuable lesson from his infamous taunting of Graeme Le Saux.

Fowler was involved in a very public taunting of Le Saux in 1997 even though the former England defender was not gay, and has recently apologised for the incident.

Former Germany and Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger announced this week that he is gay, and ex-Liverpool striker Fowler believes a player's sexuality would no longer be an issue.

He told BBC's Football Focus: "Years ago it probably would have been more of a problem on the terraces. I don't think it would have been in the dressing room, certainly it wouldn't be a problem in a dressing room now. I don't think it would be a problem on the terraces now."

Talking about the Le Saux incident he added: "Certainly if things happen on a pitch the thing is you learn from it and I know I certainly have.

"And another important thing is other people can learn off something I have done as well. I'm thankful people can learn off me. It was wrong and we're sorry."

In a 2007 book, Le Saux also named Robbie Savage as having taunted him, but the ex-Wales midfielder insisted he could not remember any such incident.

Savage, who like Fowler is now a BBC pundit, said: "His book was his version of events, and I genuinely can't remember the incident.

"But what I will says is that they weren't my views then, more importantly, [they are] certainly not my views now."

Savage also welcomed the reaction to Hitzlsperger's announcement.

He said: "I think it's been magnificent - the football community is 100 per cent in support and rightly so.

"Going back to my days, if somebody came out in a dressing room I played in you would see him no different. Nothing would change.

"If there are Premiership footballers out there or any footballer in general I think it's fantastic to do [come out]."

Le Saux, a member of the FA's new equality panel, said this week that he was pleased Fowler had apologised.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gay-rumours-ruined-my-england-chances-696796

Gay rumours may have prevented ex West Ham player Ian Bishop from playing for England in the 90's.

[Stuttgart88]

I don't think this requires much comment. It kind of speaks for itself.

http://www.thescore.ie/neil-francis-gay-sport-comments-newstalk-1318405-Feb2014/

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't think this requires much comment. It kind of speaks for itself.

http://www.thescore.ie/neil-francis-gay-sport-comments-newstalk-1318405-Feb2014/
You can't do anything in this country any more mate, it's political correctness gone mad. You can't even write racial abuse in excrement on someone's car without the politically correct brigade jumping down your throat (http://youtu.be/bmsV1TuESrc?t=1m15s).

[geysir]

Stewart Lee in that skit referred to a Tory, Peter Griffiths, who won a parliament seat in Birmingham in the mid 1960's on the ticket "if you want a nig**r for a neighbour, then vote labour". Harold Wilson in Westminster stated, (Birmingham conservatives), "having sent a Member who, until another election returns him to oblivion, will serve his time here as a Parliamentary leper".
Time magazine more famously carried a report with the headline, "Great Britain, Cruel to Lepers."

[Stuttgart88]

I though this was a good piece on the current Richard Scudamore controversy:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/may/14/premier-league-richard-scudamore

[BonnieShels]

RFU investigates Nigel Owens homophobic abuse

The English RFU has launched an investigation into allegations of homophobic abuse of referee Nigel Owens at Twickenham last Saturday.
It is claimed that Owens, who is gay, had been the subject of discriminatory taunts by supporters during England's 24-21 defeat by New Zealand in the opening QBE International.
"We take any allegations of any abuse very seriously and are investigating this matter," an RFU spokesperson said.
The matter was first brought to light when a spectator witnessed the abuse from a group of men he estimated to be their mid-30s and subsequently wrote a letter to a national newspaper outlining what he had heard.
"I could not believe that a bunch of men half my age watching a rugby match in the 21st century could be capable of hurling such nasty, foul-mouthed, racist, homophobic abuse at an openly gay match official," read the letter published in The Guardian.
While the RFU stresses that allegations of abuse of any type at Twickenham are extremely rare, it states that it is taking the matter "very seriously".
"The RFU condemns all forms of discrimination and aims to ensure that all people, irrespective of their age, gender, ability, race, religion, ethnic origin, creed, colour, nationality, social status or sexual orientation, have a genuine and equal opportunity to enjoy rugby union in whatever form, on or off the pitch, at all levels and in all roles," an RFU spokesperson said.
Owens, considered to be among the sport's leading officials, has called for bans to be issued if the allegations are proven.
"If someone has gone to the trouble to send a letter to the paper and say that this was disgusting and the behaviour was totally out of order, then I would think what they shouted was pretty bad and if that is the case then these people should be banned from the game," Owens told The Daily Telegraph.
"They need to be told that some behaviour is not acceptable, that crossing the line of what is humour and banter is a fine line but if you cross it then you have to put up with the consequences."

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/international/2014/1113/658942-rfu-to-investigate-homophobic-abuse/

Good on the RFU.

[Stuttgart88]

Just out of info, I attended a really interesting public session on homophobia in football.

Summary of the discussion here

http://www.sportbusinesscentre.com/news/blog-business-of-inclusion-event-december-2014/

[BonnieShels]

You go to all the sweet gigs.

[DannyInvincible]

The source of Liverpool's recent woes explained at last...: http://balls.ie/football/unusual-explanation-liverpools-woes-yet/

http://i1.liverpoolecho.co.uk/incoming/article8311773.ece/alternates/s615/Paul-Rimmer.jpg


In response, Paul Annan, the Liverpool Supporters Club LGBT representative points out that Liverpool did not sponsor the parade but has marched in it in the past three years. He said that ‘the club has got a proud record of tackling discrimination and fighting inequality and has done some fantastic work.’

Rimmer is a big fan of the Bible and insists that it’s not his opinion that Liverpool are cursed, but the Bible is pretty clear. Brendan Rodgers and his boys are doomed.

...

Rimmer was arrested two years ago for tussling with police officers over their decision to fly a rainbow flag over the local police station. He intends to run for Mayor of Liverpool in 2016, his second run. Last time out, he earned 60 votes.

[Eminence Grise]

That gent's surname is proof that God has a sense of humour!

[DannyInvincible]

Just spotted this earlier this evening; Robbie Rogers was interviewed by Stephen Sackur for the BBC's HARDtalk a while back: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b050mc0n/hardtalk-robbie-rogers-footballer


Stephen Sackur speaks to Robbie Rogers, a US international footballer who plays for LA Galaxy. He broke the sport's great taboo by very publicly coming out after a spell in English football. But why haven't other gay footballers followed his lead?

[BonnieShels]

"But why haven't other gay footballers followed his lead?"

Because they very simply haven't seen fit to do so. Coming out is more than the process of telling some you are gay or bi. There is a whole lead up to it that goes unseen.

Robbie Rogers, Tom Daley and Michael Sams are trailblazers. But there isn't ever going to a be a glut of men or women coming out in sports. There is no release valve.

Rogers, Daley and Sams have made it easier, no question, but the anticipation of more and more coming out will remain just that.

[DannyInvincible]

Rogers makes an interesting comment that he's had contact from "closeted" athletes involved in other sports, including basketball players and American footballers (of the NFL-variety), offering support/seeking advice, but he hasn't had one footballer (of the soccer-variety) get in touch.

[Spudulika]

It's all about money and contracts. When their careers are over (for most) they will come out. It makes little financial sense to do so beforehand. Most people will know they will be accepted within their teams, even by management, and fans will get over themselves (although in soccer it would be worrying), but as many have not even come out to their families or friends, or maybe are not sure of themselves, it will take time.

In tennis it is known who is and isn't (heavily in the women's game), but apart from bitchy comments, nobody speaks about it.

[geysir]

It's all about money and contracts. When their careers are over (for most) they will come out. It makes little financial sense to do so beforehand. Most people will know they will be accepted within their teams, even by management, and fans will get over themselves (although in soccer it would be worrying), but as many have not even come out to their families or friends, or maybe are not sure of themselves, it will take time.

In tennis it is known who is and isn't (heavily in the women's game), but apart from bitchy comments, nobody speaks about it.
And you know all this to be true, based on what?
It reads like a cróck of nonsense to me.

[DannyInvincible]

It's all about money and contracts. When their careers are over (for most) they will come out. It makes little financial sense to do so beforehand. Most people will know they will be accepted within their teams, even by management, and fans will get over themselves (although in soccer it would be worrying), but as many have not even come out to their families or friends, or maybe are not sure of themselves, it will take time.

If most people would accept homosexuals in sport/football, why would it make little financial sense? If it was the case that homosexuals were accepted and nobody cared about sexuality in sport, it shouldn't make any financial difference whether they "came out" or not. What would there be to fear from "coming out" if nobody cared?

Doesn't the fact that potential income (or employability) would be affected negatively by "coming out" indicate at least a passive or casual form of homophobia that permeates modern sport and particularly football? And that's not to even consider the more explicit and overt hatred and bigotry that you'll get from some elements in the stands.

What are you referring to exactly when you say "it would be worrying" in football? Football players "coming out" would be worrying or it would be worrying to see fans accept homosexual footballers, or something else surely?