Following several recent cases of homophobia in French football, a meeting was held on 17 December 2008 between the French League, Paris Foot Gay (Association against homophobia in football) and the Inter LGBT (French group promoting the rights of gay, bi, lesbian and transsexual people).
This meeting concluded with the following proposals and initiatives:
1) the court cases in relation to the football clubs of Montpellier, Marseille and Lyon (where homophobic incidents have been reported) will be heard by the French Discipline Commission in January 2009;
2) The French League and Paris Foot Gay will organise special events for the World Day Against Homophobia with volunteering professional clubs, starting on 17 May 2009;
3) the by-laws of the French League will be amended to include article 225 of the French Criminal Code, in particular the paragraph regarding discrimination based on sexual orientation;
4) The French League will co-finance a video against homophobia in football;
5) The French League will urge professional clubs to sign the Charter against Homophobia; and
6) The French League will report to Paris Foot Gay any information relating to homophobic actions or speeches in French stadiums.
Paris Foot Gay and Inter LGBT welcome the acknowledgement and significant progress made by the French League and its president Frederic Thiriez in relation to homophobic discrimination encountered daily in French football. EGLSF congratulates the organisations and parties involved in their active step against homophobia.