>Earlier this week, Kick It Out, the campaigning organisation against racism in football, and the Football Association co-hosted a forum titled ‘Homophobia – Football’s Final Taboo’.

The event, which included speakers such as Peter Tatchell, Lucy Faulkner from the FA, Barney Efthimiou from the Gay Football Supporters Network, and Jason Bartholomew Hall from the Justin Fashanu Campaign, was part of Kick It Out’s One Game, One Community Weeks Of Action (16th and 28th October).

Also taking part, former Chelsea and Celtic defender Paul Elliott said that he has known around 12 top players who are gay. In his view, they have been reluctant to come out in the past because they fear negative reactions and abuse. The ex-central defender now advises the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

BBC commentator Bob Ballard, who chaired the event, accused the FA of having double standards and criticised it and Chelsea for allowing the appointment as Chelsea manager of Phil Scolari who had said that he would never have a gay player on his team and that he would kick out black or Jewish players.

Peter Tatchell seemed to concur by saying that ‘The Football Association has great equality policies on paper but it often fails to put them into practice. It’s time to turn the FA’s opposition to anti-gay prejudice into action and give homophobia the boot.’

Tatchell also made some very concrete suggestions: “I would like to see the FA to organise a dozen premier league straight players to condemn homophobia in a MTV-style video. Straight voices are likely to have the strongest impact on homophobic fans.

“To challenge and diminish prejudice, this video could be distributed to football clubs, schools and youth clubs, and it could be played on stadium screens before matches and at half-time.

“The FA and individual clubs should have snappy, visual anti-homophobia messages on tickets, match programmes and billboards near stadiums.”

Gay Football Supporters Network
Justin Fashanu Campaign
Kick It Out