Rugby joins FA and Premier League in ditching Stonewall
It can also be revealed that Premiership Rugby has stopped promoting the campaign amid plans by both to launch new LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives.
Telegraph Sport reported on Thursday how the Premier League had terminated its eight-year partnership with Stonewall and had ditched rainbow armbands.
The world's richest league plans to launch a new campaign to coincide with February's LGBTQ+ History Month.
The FA is said to have ended its own partnership with Stonewall as part of a wider move away from single campaign moments that have had a questionable impact on the fight against bigotry within football.
Telegraph Sport has been told Premiership Rugby is close to naming a charity partner, with which it will work on future LGBTQ+ initiatives.
News that the Premier League had terminated its own partnership with Stonewall emerged on the same day Premier League captains agreed for players to continue taking the knee this season.
The decisions over two symbols which have become plagued by controversy were made during a meeting of the 20 club captains.
The Premier League had already ended an eight-year partnership with Stonewall, which launched its Rainbow Laces campaign back in 2013.
Telegraph Sport has been told the decision was taken amid the growth of in-house expertise within the league and its clubs.
The Premier League, FA and Premiership Rugby have become the latest major organisations to sever ties with Stonewall amid its advocacy for gender ideology that was undermined by this year's Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman under the Equality Act.
The FA responded to that ruling by banning transgender women from women's football, a decision the charity denounced for being made 'too soon, before the implications of the Supreme Court's ruling has been worked through by lawyers and politicians or before statutory guidance has been issued'.
It added: 'It is incredibly disappointing as several of them have been long term and vocal supporters of our Rainbow Laces campaign, advocating for inclusion in sport for all ages and at all levels.'
The Premier League's ditching of rainbow armbands comes eight months after Mark Guehi, the England defender, Crystal Palace captain and devout Christian, wrote 'I love Jesus' and 'Jesus loves you' on his in consecutive matches.
Guehi did so in breach of FA kit rules and he was issued with a reminder of his responsibility to follow them.
Ipswich Town skipper and Muslim Sam Morsy also refused to wear a rainbow armband during the same period but received no such reminder, which saw the FA accused of creating a 'two-tier mess'.
Club captains agreed on Thursday that the armband would no longer be used to promote specific campaigns and would feature only the Premier League logo.
A Stonewall spokesperson said: 'Rainbow Laces has helped improve LGBTQ+ inclusion, acceptance and participation in sport at all levels, whether player, participant or fan. Rainbow Laces has helped to significantly shift the dial and while it can still prove difficult for elite players themselves to be openly LGBTQ+ on the pitch, there are now some role models; at the grass-roots level it is easier to participate and as a fan the LGBTQ+ community has increasingly felt more accepted.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
2 minutes ago
- Axios
These Florida cities are defying a ban on rainbow-colored Pride crosswalks
Some South Florida cities are resisting new state and federal guidance that prohibits rainbow-colored intersections. Why it matters: While other Florida cities acted quickly to remove their Pride-themed crosswalks and avoid violating the state's June 30 mandate, Key West and Delray Beach appear to be the first to push back against the DeSantis administration. Any response from the state could influence how other cities with Pride-themed street art, like Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale, decide to move forward. The latest: Key West voted Aug. 6 to explore all legal avenues to preserve its popular rainbow crosswalks at the intersection of Duval and Petronia streets, which the city says is one of the island's "most iconic and visited locations." The city also voted to designate the crosswalks as a cultural landmark and the surrounding area as the "Historic Gayborhood of Key West," honoring the city's LGBTQ community. In Delray Beach, the City Commission decided Tuesday to defy a previous order from the city manager and keep its painted Pride intersection — for now at least, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. After city manager Terrence Moore announced in July that the city "must adhere to state guidelines," commissioners this week said it would be premature to remove the crosswalk without receiving a direct order from the state. Zoom in: Neither Miami Beach nor Fort Lauderdale have reacted to the mandate, and the cities' Pride street markings are still in place. Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez tells Axios the city hasn't received any communication from the state, so there's "no action for the City Commission to take at this time." Fernandez and other local leaders have slammed the state's argument that painted crosswalks are a traffic hazard. What they're saying: Fernandez tells Axios that the city's Pride crosswalk on Ocean Drive and 12th Street met all safety standards when it was approved in 2018 and remains a safe intersection. "From my perspective, if major work were ever done there in the future, that would be the time to review and consider any new regulation, just as we would with any other change to the traffic manual," Fernandez said. "In the meantime, I believe this is a non-issue, a distraction, a solution in search of a problem." Threat level: The mandate — which echoed guidance from the Trump administration on removing political messages from roadways — says noncompliant governments may lose state transportation funding. Zoom out: Some cities, like St. Petersburg, have been contacted by Florida's Department of Transportation requesting a list of all painted crosswalks and other traffic infrastructure. But St. Pete Mayor Kenneth Welch announced this week the city wouldn't take any action until it receives guidance from the state on whether certain public art can be exempted from the mandate.
NBC Sports
3 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Jota will 'mean everything' to Liverpool in 2025
Rebecca Lowe, Tim Howard, Robbie Mustoe and Robbie Earle discuss Diogo Jota's tragic death, talking through the emotions that will follow Liverpool throughout the 2025-26 Premier League season.
Business Insider
3 minutes ago
- Business Insider
Where to watch Premier League: Live stream 2025-2026 EPL matches from anywhere
The Premier League returns for the 2025 to 2026 season, and matches are available to stream around the globe. We've compiled everything you need to know about where to watch the Premier League, including live streaming options for those without cable. Liverpool were victorious in the Premier League last season, nabbing their second-ever EPL title following their 2019-2020 season win. The win broke up Manchester City's stronghold on the league, which saw them dominate from 2017-2024, only losing in the 2019-2020 season to — you guessed it — Liverpool. The 2025-2026 season will help prove whether Man City is truly down and out or if Liverpool (or another team altogether) can rise to the top again. Streaming options are available worldwide, including in the UK and the US. Keep reading to learn about some of the best watch options and recommendations for a few of our favorite streaming services. Where to watch Premier League in the US US coverage of the Premier League will air through various NBCUniversal properties, including NBC, the USA Network, and Peacock. The majority of the action will be available to live stream on Peacock, where plans start at $11 a month or $110 a year, although some games (like the August 15 kickoff) will be missing. Cord-cutters who still want to tune into matches that aren't on Peacock or those seeking a more comprehensive live TV streaming experience can check out month-to-month services like DirecTV, Sling TV, or Fubo. DirecTV's MySports package carries USA, NBC, and around 20 other popular live sports channels, including TNT and ESPN. The pack also comes with access to ESPN Plus. Subscriptions cost $70 a month, but new customers can get a five-day free trial. Local channels like NBC occasionally have some regional variability, so it's a good idea to check the exact channel lineup available to you before subscribing. Sling TV carries USA, NBC, and 40+ other channels in its Blue plan. Subscriptions cost $46 a month (or $51, depending on your location in the US). You can also try getting one of Sling's new season passes for $199, which spans five months and saves you about $31 when you prepay. Local channels vary by region, so you should check your ZIP code on the Sling website to ensure you can access networks like NBC. Fubo also carries NBC and USA in both its Pro and Elite plans. The Pro plan costs $85 a month and includes access to more than 200 channels. New users can get $30 off their first month of service after a five-day free trial. Where to watch Premier League in the UK The bulk of the Premier League matches will be available through Sky Sports in the UK. Prices vary depending on which plan and contract length you sign up for, and you can learn more in our guide to the best Sky TV deals and plans. Sky Sports is also available to stream through Now. Additional matches will air on TNT Sports, which fans can live stream on Discovery Plus for £31 a month. Where to watch Premier League in Canada Fubo is the must-have streaming home of the Premier League in Canada. The live TV streaming service has two tiers: Sports Basic and Sports. Sports Basic will get you 200+ Premier League matches, while Sports proper has all matches. Both tiers also include access to loads of other sports. Basic costs $20 a month, but you can ultimately get a cheaper subscription if you pay quarterly or annually. The same goes for the regular Sports plan, which costs $31.50 a month on its own but is cheaper monthly if you sign up for a longer-term plan. Right now, customers can get their first month of Sports for just $27. How to watch Premier League from anywhere Football fans traveling abroad can keep up with their usual streaming services from anywhere with the help of a VPN, or virtual private network. VPNs allow people to change their device's virtual location. This way, their go-to websites and apps work from anywhere in the world, so they don't need to worry about missing out on their favorite programming while traveling. Plus, they're instant ways to boost online security. Our No. 1 recommendation is NordVPN, a top-notch VPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It's chock-full of cybersecurity perks and has a few savings opportunities with long-term contracts, but customers can also just subscribe month-to-month. To learn more, you can read our official NordVPN review. How to use a VPN Sign up for a VPN if you don't already have one. Install it on the device you're planning to watch on. Turn it on and set it to the location of your streaming service. Navigate to your streaming service and create an account. Enjoy the matches. Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
