Amid extensive reports of homophobia within football during recent decades, former Northampton Rugby star Ben Cohen was beaten to a top gay award by an entire gay Football squad.
The third annual Stonewall awards, coordinated by gay rights group Stonewall, were held in recognition of outstanding achievement in gay sports, at London’s V&A.
The successful, all gay Football Club was awarded with the prize in recognition for their success in the Gay Word Championships. Other nominees included the Brighton Lesbian Gay sports society and rower Matthew Mitcham.
Judges expressed that the Lions were a “beacon of light in the darkness of homophobia that exists in football”. Anti-gay behavior has become a real problem within football in recent decades and recent reports show that 57% of footballers believe that the sport is homophobic.
The awards were held during earlier claims of alleged abuse of a number of players and managers from the terraces. Premiership ace, and Portsmouth Full-back, Sol Campbell, suffered homophobic abuse at the hands of rival fans, along with revelations from Ex Footballer Paul Elliot, that at least 12 Premier League prodigies had been unable to come out due to fears of reprisal.
Whilst Elliot had refused to reveal names, he strongly confirmed that homophobia had in the very recent past, been an all too real experience for players.
Cardiff City manager Dave Jones also fell foul of ignorance during a Championship league match against Nottingham Forest last month, prompting the FA to launch a formal enquiry.
Most notably, tragic ace Justin Fashinu committed suicide shortly after publicly announcing his orientation, preceding which he had faced extreme hostility from team-mates during the 1990s. This had come despite efforts by the FA to launch their anti homophobic scheme, ‘Kick it out’, in 1993.
In recent response, the ‘Justin Campaign’ has been launched in a bid to get the FA make 2nd May 2009, Justin Fashinu Day.
In light of the success from the Stonewall Lions, there is a real potential for a development. If a nation can embrace a black president after so many years of prejudice, then surely a break-through can be made in a game of football?
Written by James Congdon
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