2009

The Dutch government aims for a tolerant sport climate, based on respect, equality and sporting together. In this sport environment there should be a place for everybody, also for homosexuals athletes. With the programme “Simply being gay” The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS) stimulates the emancipation of homosexuals. One of the topics within this programme of VWS is aimed at sport. The programme Sport & Tolerance pays attention to several elements within the social acceptance of homosexual sportsmen and sportswomen and to the social inclusion and exclusion mechanisms experienced by homosexual sportsmen and -women. The NSA is responsible [...]

The European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation (EGLSF) made clear its support today for FC Midtjylland, the Danish Superliga Club, which earlier this week sacked goalkeeper Arek Onyszko following homophobic comments made in his autobiography. These comments include the statement "I hate gays, I really do. I think it’s f****** disgusting to hear them talk to each other as if they are girls. I can’t be in the same room as someone who’s gay. Look at them kissing each other – it’s sickening." Co-President of the EGLSF Pepe Garcia-Vazquez says: “We welcome this move by FC Midtjylland to make a [...]

Last Wednesday, Créteil Bébel was excluded from its championship by our league, the Football Leisure Activities Committee [Commission Football Loisirs – CFL]. The CFL took its responsibilities and punished the club of Créteil Bébel in the same way as it condemns, and punishes of exclusion, all violent behavior, coming from players or from managers, contributing to make of its championships, competitions where the term « sporting spirit » still means something. Contrary to what the team had hoped, the players of Créteil Bébel have just announced that they were refusing to play, under the same shirt as them, a big [...]