Sunday Supplement: Rainbow Laces helping football move in the right direction
Sunday 26 November 2017 17:05, UK
The Sunday Supplement panel discussed the impact of the Rainbow Laces campaign, and how attitudes are changing in football.
This month, Sky Sports is again helping to activate Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign which aims to 'make sport everyone's game'.
The initiative is focused on inclusion at all levels of sport for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).
Speaking on Sunday Supplement, The Times' Matt Dickinson says attitudes have changed over time, and things are moving in the right direction.
"As football connects with so many people, I think we've seen progress," said Dickinson. "Football can't solve social issues, but it can educate on social issues and tackle them.
"Racism is one of the success stories of English football; teams have certainly become multicultural, the FA and other bodies have driven strong anti-racism campaigns. In this campaign, there is undoubtedly movement in the right way.
"It wasn't that long ago that Robbie Fowler was taunting Graeme Le Saux on a pitch, and I was just reading back on the reaction of that at the time, and it seemed people were almost laughing and sniggering.
"I think people would react a lot stronger now. Fowler got a two-game ban, now it's an automatic five-game ban, and is put on the same tariff as racism.
"I think we are moving in the right way, but obviously the fact that no player has felt able to come out while playing is one measure that we still have a long way to go."
Shaun Custis of The Sun echoed Dickinson's words and says attitudes towards homophobic behaviour within supporters have also been altered over the past 15 years, insisting the Rainbow Laces campaign is working.
"I think it's working to a certain extent," said Custis. "I'm more aware of it this year than I was the year before, and more than the year before that too. I think the message is getting to people.
"I think fans would think twice about homophobic chanting, which is a measure of progress. I don't think they would have 15 years ago.
"If a supporter next to you did that now, I think there would be groups of people around calling them out. I have seen examples of fans doing that, more recently."
