Latest news with #Stonewall
The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Why rainbow armbands won't be worn by Premier League captains this season
Premier League captains will not wear rainbow armbands this season. The league is understood to have ended its partnership with LGBT+ inclusion charity Stonewall which has run for 10 years. As part of that campaign, captains were asked to wear rainbow-coloured armbands and all players given the option to wear rainbow-coloured bootlaces. As first reported by the Daily Telegraph, the partnership has now concluded and the league will instead develop its own campaign during LGBT+ history month in February, drawing on the increased in-house expertise of the league and its clubs. It is understood captain's armbands will not play a part in any new campaign, or on campaigns around other topics either. During last season's Rainbow Laces campaign, the Football Association issued a reminder to Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi about kit regulations after he wore a rainbow armband that had the words 'I love Jesus' written on it. The FA did not take further action when he wore a similar armband in a subsequent match. The FA did not get involved at all in the case of Ipswich captain Sam Morsy, who chose to wear a standard captain's armband in the two matches covered by last season's campaign owing to his religious beliefs. It is understood Stonewall's campaign will continue via the charity's other Rainbow Laces partners. 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 grassroots level it is easier to participate and as a fan the LGBTQ+ community has increasingly felt more accepted. 'Over the years, Rainbow Laces has benefited from a wide range of partners with a natural ebb and flow reflecting cultural and sporting changes. Alongside other sporting bodies the FA has been instrumental in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion at the grassroots level and more recently the Women's Super League has taken up the mantle as the women's game has grown – enabling Rainbow Laces to reach more diverse audiences. 'Increasingly, the younger generation – where one in 10 identify as LGBTQ+ – are focusing on fitness, health and mental wellbeing. Enabling LGBTQ+ inclusion and participation in sport remains vital; Rainbow Laces and its sporting partners will remain at the centre of those efforts in the years to come.' Top-flight captains have also agreed they and their team-mates will continue to take the knee, but only for the two fixtures designated for the 'No Room For Racism' campaign during Black History Month in October. England's women's team said before their Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy that they would no longer take the knee. They said stopping the gesture was intended to be seen as a signal that more needed to be done to tackle racism, in the wake of abuse directed towards England player Jess Carter during the tournament.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Premier League ‘DITCHES rainbow laces after ending partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and to launch own campaign'
The FA and another major sports league has made the same decision PREM DECISION Premier League 'DITCHES rainbow laces after ending partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and to launch own campaign' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Premier League has reportedly terminated its partnership with Stonewall, bringing an end to rainbow laces and armbands. The league had been partnering with the LGBTQ+ charity for eight years, campaigning for inclusivity in football and beyond. 4 The Premier League has terminated its partnership with Stonewall, bringing an end to rainbow laces and armbands Credit: Getty 4 Marc Guehi wrote a religious message on his rainbow armband last season Credit: PA However, the Telegraph has now reported that Prem chiefs have brought that relationship to an end amid plans to launch new LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives. England's top flight is thought to be planning to launch a new campaign of its own to coincide with February's LGBTQ+ History Month. It is reported that both The FA and Premiership Rugby are severing ties with Stonewall too. Campaigns featuring rainbow laces and armbands had caused controversy across the Premier League in recent seasons. Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi - a devout Christian - was warned by the FA after writing a religious message on his rainbow armband last year. While Ipswich Town skipper Sam Morsy - a practising Muslim - also refused to wear a rainbow armband during the same period but was not issued a warning. The news of the Premier League's decision to part ways with Stonewall comes after the league's captains agreed for players to continue taking the knee against racism and all forms of discrimination. The decision was made during a meeting between all 20 club captains. 4 LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall have partnered the Premier League for eight years with their rainbow laces and rainbow armband campaign Credit: Getty 4 Sam Morsy refused to wear the rainbow armband last term Credit: Alamy BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Following the end of its partnership with the league, 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."
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Premier League rainbow armbands campaign ends
Premier League captains will not wear rainbow armbands this season after the league is understood to have ended its partnership with LGBTQ+ inclusion charity Stonewall, which has run for 10 years. As part of that campaign, captains were asked to wear rainbow-coloured armbands and all players given the option to wear rainbow-coloured bootlaces. As first reported by the Daily Telegraph, the partnership has now concluded and the league will instead develop its own campaign during LGBTQ+ history month in February, drawing on the increased in-house expertise of the league and its clubs. It is understood captain's armbands will not play a part in any new campaign, or on campaigns around other topics either. During last season's Rainbow Laces campaign, the Football Association issued a reminder to Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi about kit regulations after he wore a rainbow armband that had the words 'I love Jesus' written on it. The FA did not take further action when he wore a similar armband in a subsequent match. The FA did not get involved at all in the case of Ipswich captain Sam Morsy, who chose to wear a standard captain's armband in the two matches covered by last season's campaign owing to his religious beliefs. It is understood Stonewall's campaign will continue via the charity's other Rainbow Laces partners. Top-flight captains have also agreed they and their team-mates will continue to take the knee, but only for the two fixtures designated for the 'No Room For Racism' campaign during Black History Month in October. England's women's team said before their Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy that they would no longer take the knee. They said stopping the gesture was intended to be seen as a signal that more needed to be done to tackle racism, in the wake of abuse directed towards England player Jess Carter during the tournament.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Premier League ‘DITCHES rainbow laces after ending partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and to launch own campaign'
THE Premier League has reportedly terminated its partnership with Stonewall, bringing an end to rainbow laces and armbands. The league had been partnering with the LGBTQ+ charity for eight years, campaigning for inclusivity in football and beyond. 4 4 However, the Telegraph has now reported that Prem chiefs have brought that relationship to an end amid plans to launch new LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives. England's top flight is thought to be planning to launch a new campaign of its own to coincide with February's LGBTQ+ History Month. It is reported that both The FA and Premiership Rugby are severing ties with Stonewall too. Campaigns featuring rainbow laces and armbands had caused controversy across the Premier League in recent seasons. Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi - a devout Christian - was warned by the FA after writing a religious message on his rainbow armband last year. While Ipswich Town skipper Sam Morsy - a practising Muslim - also refused to wear a rainbow armband during the same period but was not issued a warning. The news of the Premier League's decision to part ways with Stonewall comes after the league's captains agreed for players to continue taking the knee against racism and all forms of discrimination. The decision was made during a meeting between all 20 club captains. 4 4 Following the end of its partnership with the league, 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."
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
‘Let the war begin' – Trans activists vow to fight government guidance
The new rules will also allow bodies to prevent transgender women from taking part in women's sports. The advice is in line with interim guidance published by the commission in April, just days after the Supreme Court ruled that the word sex in the Equality Act meant biological sex, not preferred gender identity. Sophie Molly, a trans rights activist, posted on X on Friday morning: 'Do not comply. I'm prepared to be arrested multiple times over this.' Another, using the name Invisible Entity, said: 'Let the war begin. Fingers crossed. You need to fight for all of us globally. It's a war.' The Good Law Project has challenged the EHRC's interim guidance in court, saying it is incompatible with the Equality Act and goes beyond what the Supreme Court said. The firm has been granted a two-day hearing in the High Court in November. 'Rights and dignities' Mr Maugham said: 'The guidance amounts to a bathroom ban for trans people, violating people's right to privacy in their everyday lives. 'The EHRC's guidance is subject to legal challenge – a hearing is scheduled for later this year – and a court will decide whether it is compatible with the Equality Act. 'Given the evident hostility of the guidance to the rights and dignities of trans people, we are confident the Commission will lose'. A spokesman for the LGBT+ charity Stonewall said the EHRC received 50,000 responses to its consultation from businesses, organisations and individuals, and suggested the Commission had not had time to read them all. 'The draft guidance takes the position of justifying exclusion rather than inclusion of trans people as its starting point, which does not reflect the values of our society,' he said. 'It risks creating a hierarchy of rights and a tiering of safety concerns, which are counter to the intentions behind the Equality Act 2010. 'The EHRC has received over 50,000 responses to its consultation from businesses, organisations and individuals raising wide-ranging and complicated issues, including compatibility of the draft guidance with other existing pieces of legislation which will need to be addressed.'
