In recent weeks there have been a number of occasions where very high profile footballers in the English premier league have been accused of making racist comments to other players during games. Last night Fabio Capello the manager of the England team indirectly resigned because of one such accusation. He argued that the decision to drop John Terry as captain of England by the English Football Association was incorrect because he believes that the accusation of racism is a matter for the civil courts to decide not a matter for a sporting court to decide.
Players of African and Caribbean background are regularly subjected to racist taunts and chanting by football crowds. Players and officials in football must set the example of there being no place for racism within sport and high profile players must be educated about the damaging effects of racist remarks and institutional racism. Likewise homophobic taunts by players to other players or from spectators can have far reaching effects on boys and men growing up in cultures that are traditionally not inclusive of people who are deemed different. The incidents of suicide among young men who are gay are very high. It can be very troubling and confusing to come to terms with one's sexuality in a world where one is not deemed as 'normal'. Former England Footballer Graeme Le Saux was subjected to constant taunts questioning his sexuality during his career and has recently spoken publicly about his experiences
Support for Footballers who are also gay. Because of the homophobic prejudice rife in football few players are willing to come out as gay and so are forced to live secret lives.
Sporting associations, religious organisations, educational institutions, armed forces, law enforcement agencies, the media, employers and so on must take strong stands against any hints of racism or homophobia within their systems both publicly and privately in order to create safer environments and a safer world for men and boys to grow up in.
As a member and leader of a religious organisation I think that it is imperative that there is no rhetoric, no hints, no evidence of anything that is discriminatory in any way when it comes to issues of race, ethnicity, culture, belief, sexuality or gender. But I think it is not enough to be passively against discrimination. Organisations such as the church must be actively and publicly working for the inclusion of all people within its organisation and within society. Like Sporting associations and all other public organisations the church must take responsibility for the effects it's own rhetoric, discriminatory practices and example can have on the lives of people because of their race, gender or sexual preference etc.
In many ways it is time for sporting organisations and other organisations such as the church to 'come out' more publicly in support of people discriminated against because of their race or sexual preference.
