Video on UK's Rugby Football League "Tackle It" diversity initiative

The RFL has launched a new game wide 'Tackle IT' Equality and Diversity programme which aims to increase awareness of issues such as racism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination and prejudice within Rugby League.
The 'Tackle IT' campaign features seven promotional posters and a promotional DVD which will be made available to all professional and community clubs in the UK. The campaign sees the RFL become the first UK sports governing body to produce a resource that simultaneously tackles and celebrates all six key equality strands of; race, sexuality, gender, disability, age and religion.


The campaign is fronted by famous names from the sport of Rugby League such as former St Helens and Hull KR star Anthony Sullivan, whose father Clive became the first ever black captain of a British sporting side when he led Great Britain to World Cup glory in 1972, and Sarah Bennison, who became the first female ever to referee a game in the professional ranks in July 2011 when she took charge of Norway versus Germany.
RFL Chairman Richard Lewis said: “We are committed to making Rugby League one of the most open and friendly sports in the UK and the Tackle IT campaign is the latest step aimed at ensuring we can achieve that goal.

“The RFL has worked very hard in recent years to improve our equality programmes and encourage people from all walks of life to get involved with the game and we hope that this latest initiative will continue to boost the successes we have seen over the past few seasons.

“However, the challenge now is for us not to rest on our laurels but to continue working hard at improving our pathways and equality initiatives at all levels.”

The unveiling of ‘Tackle IT’ follows a successful 12-month period for Rugby League that began with the RFL becoming the first sporting organisation ever to enter the Stonewall Top 100 Equality Employers Index in 2011 before rising 40 places to reach 53rd position in the index in January 2012.

Co-operative Championship club Sheffield Eagles broke new ground when they became the first UK sports club ever to wear a strip displaying an anti-homophobia message in March and they were joined by all 14 Super League clubs in signing up to the Government’s Charter Against Homophobia in Sport in April.
Building on this recent success, the RFL is also in the process of developing an educational resource to complement the ‘Tackle IT’ campaign which will be distributed to schools throughout the UK later this year.

“We hope that Tackle IT! will be a thought provoking programme that will encourage and support all those involved in our sport to continue reaching out to diverse communities to ensure Rugby League remains a truly inclusive and welcoming family sport," said RFL Equality and Diversity Manager Sarah Williams.

“The RFL believes that sport can and should lead the way in terms of equality and diversity as sport is about fairness, identifying new talent, enabling everyone to reach their full potential and bringing people and communities together in a shared passion for their sport.

“Education is an essential part of this and is the most important tool for promoting a zero tolerance approach towards discrimination, prejudice and abuse, while also celebrating diversity in Rugby League and in the wider community.”

University of Connecticut ice hockey team leaders issue the You Can Play captains' challenge

The captains of the University of Connecticut men's ice hockey team issue a challenge to other captains in this You Can Play video.

Outsport Toronto runs workshop for Toronto District School Board

Earlier this month, for the Toronto District School Board's FUTURES Conference on Equity and Inclusive Education, FGG member organization ran a seminar entitled "Making It Better Now: Ending Homophobia and Transphobia in School Athletics and Physical Education", and produced an introductory video.

Three quarters of LGBTQ students feel unsafe in at least
one place at school, with PE change rooms rated as the
most unsafe. Half of straight students agree. (EGALE
Canada, 2009).

OutSport Toronto, in cooperation with educators from the
TDSB and the University of Waterloo, have put together a
workshop that will leverage our collective insights on the
importance of an inclusive physical education and
athletics programme, sharing our own experiences, and
providing tactics and strategies that can be deployed in
schools immediately.

The benefits of physical education are undisputed. A
physical education program - including intramurals and
varsity athletics - builds healthy students, and builds
long lasting character traits such as teamwork,
dedication, perseverance, and confidence. These
benefits must be afforded to all students, yet the fact is
many students feel unsafe from the gymnasium, to the
track, to the field, to the PE change room.
The members of OutSport Toronto have experienced
the homophobia and exclusion of high school athletics,
the inclusiveness of LGBTQ sports associations, and
the joy of being part of the team . We know how
important it is to eradicate homophobia - the last
bastion of acceptable discriminatory language - from
our schools’ athletics and physical education
programmes, and create an environment where
everyone can get out and play and be safe.

Relevant research will include the 2009 EGALE study.
This workshop will illustrate the negative effects of
homophobia and transphobia, particularly in physical
education and athletics, and provide practical ideas to
help reduce them. Methods to be discussed will include
(but not limited to) awareness campaigns, training for
school personnel in creating safe and welcoming
spaces within physical education and athletics
programmes, leveraging GSAs and other clubs to sway
sentiment and encourage positive attitudes toward
LGBT and other diverse groups, and offering effective
support for LGBT students participating in physical
education and athletics. Participants will be involved in
determining the most effective follow-up activities to
encourage lasting positive change from this workshop.

Biography:
OutSport Toronto is an incorporated not-for-profit
amateur athletic association. Our mission is to support
the amateur LGBT sports community through
promotion of sports, facilitation of networking and
education, and effectively advocating to external
stakeholders. Please visit www.OutSportToronto.org
for more information.

Gay football fans in danger at UEFA Euro 2012 in Ukraine

From the Independent, coverage of the risk for fans at the coming UEFA championship to be held in Poland and the Ukraine:

Gay England football fans travelling to Ukraine for Euro 2012 have been warned to keep a low profile for their own safety. The advice came after Kiev's first ever gay pride parade was cancelled on Sunday amid fears of violence from far-right thugs.

Television pictures showed Svyatoslav Sheremet, head of the Gay Forum of Ukraine, being kicked and jumped on by a group of men after the event was stopped. Amnesty International said police in the capital advised organisers to abandon the march just 30 minutes before it was due to start after 500 ultra-right football hooligans had gathered.

Thousands of England fans will travel to the eastern European country for Euro 2012, which begins on June 8. Amnesty International Ukraine campaigner Max Tucker said: "Gay England football fans will have extremely good reason to be concerned. "Not only will they have to deal with violent football hooligans who deliberately target gay people and people of ethnic minorities, they will also face an extremely corrupt police force who have a track record of beating and mistreating people because of their sexual orientation." He added: "I would advise any gay England football supporters going to the Ukraine to go there with extreme caution and be on the lookout for both the police and hooligans and try to keep as low a profile as possible."

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued a travel warning which said conditions for gay people in Ukraine were deteriorating. It stated: "Although homosexuality is legal in Ukraine, public attitudes are less tolerant than in the UK and public displays of affection may attract negative attention. "There is no provision under Ukrainian legislation guaranteeing freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and there has recently been an increase in hostility towards the LGBT community."

Gay rights campaign group Stonewall called on the UK authorities to provide reassurance over fans' safety. Sam Dick, head of policy at the organisation, said: "The shocking violence against gay people in Ukraine will be of considerable further concern to the many lesbian and gay fans heading to watch Euro 2012. "We expect both the Football Association (FA) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to answer the serious questions about what they have done to make sure gay people visiting and living in the Ukraine are safe during the tournament and beyond."

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