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Call for International Day Opposing Homophobia in Football on 19 Feb 2010

Posted 4/2/10

The Justin Campaign, a campaign launched in memory of Justin Fashanu, the world’s first and only out gay professional football player, is to launch an international day opposing homophobia in football Football v Homophobia on February 19th 2010. The day's intention is to raise awareness of the prevalence of homophobia in the world’s favourite sport and to encourage national clubs and their fans to show their support for the cause by adopting the initiatives logo for the day and to include messages that support the cause and condemn the use of homophobic language and abuse in match day programmes.

This initiative comes to light just weeks after the UK-based Justin Campaign joined forced with the TUC (trade union congress) the PFA (professional footballers association) KickItOut (the FA’s equality and inclusion campaign) PrideSports (The UK’s only LGBT sports development company) & Schoolsout (an organisation fighting for LGBT equality in education) to take forward an independent campaign against homophobia in football.

Community football teams throughout the UK, Europe and America will be showing their support for the cause by holding a series of football matches and fun events throughout the day under the banner of Football v Homophobia. The Justin Campaign’s football team in association with Norwich LGBT Pride Collective will be kicking off the celebrations in a football tournament taking place at Carrow park in Norwich on February 19th where Fashanu began his career.

Amal Fashanu, John Fashanu’s daughter, will be there to open the event.
Events to support the initiative have been confirmed internationally. Panteres Grogues an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual transgendered) sports group in Barcelona are organising a football tournament on the 19th February and even further afield, The Federal Triangles FC from Washington DC will be showing their disapproval of homophobia in football by holding events in their area.

Co-president of the EGLSF (European Gay & Lesbian Sports Federation) Pepi Garcia Vazquez said – “We welcome news of this campaign and look forward to the future development of this initiative. For the past six years EGLSF has been leading the European campaign to tackle homophobia in football as part of the football against racism in Europe (FARE) Network. We hope that this campaign day will unite the efforts of all those working to challenge homophobia throughout Europe.”

Any fans, teams, fan clubs or companies interested in supporting the initiative by hosting an event in their area or helping to publicise the initiative can contact the campaign via their website www.thejustincampaign.com for support and promotional materials.