In line with the Football v Homophobia Month of Action February 2017, Bournemouth University teamed up with F4P to deliver a two part event drawing together students, football participants, community groups and experts all concerned with promoting safe and socially inclusive spaces to engage effectively with young people.
On the 21st February Football 4 Peace coaches delivered the first F4P v Homophobia Festival at Bournemouth University. The next day, the team joined in a symposium entitled ‘LGBT young people and their sport and leisure’ with speakers from various LGBT+ backgrounds working with the youth and with sport. Graham Spacey and Lydia Hume were invited to speak about the work of F4P in raising awareness of homophobia in sport to young people. Continue reading
One of F4P’s most famous F4P coaches – Andy Waterworth joined forces with international Rugby referee Nigel Owens in speaking out against homophobia in sport on Good Morning Ulster. With Stonewall finding that 72 % of fans have heard homophobia abuse at matches and 1 in 5 18-24 year olds saying they would be embarrassed if their favourite football player came out as gay, football has a long way to go to reach the same place as the game of Rugby in accepting differences on and off the pitch. 