Let’s win and lose together
THE Lancashire and Cheshire AFL, a football league with around 100 teams in its diverse membership, condemns and abhors any form of discrimination, typified by the racism England footballers have been subjected to especially after the way our England team lifted and galvanised this country in the face of a life-stealing pandemic.
The League committee released the statement: “We all need to do more to eradicate this type of behaviour from a small minority who hide behind a computer screen or deface a mural late at night.
“We call upon the authorities and social media companies to do more, and as individuals we will do more ourselves to enjoy our national sport and treat it for what it is – ‘a game’.
“Footballers are human and like us all they fail and lose, but let’s lose and win together.”
The League’s Diversity and Inclusion Group, led by Rob Brown, above, will be debating this and other issues at meetings and the first one has been held.
Rob said: “L and C chairman Mike Yates outlined the reason for the league to coordinate and organise the meeting and raised the point that the league is firmly behind the idea of a group having an influence in future planning and inclusive ideas going forward.
“All those in attendance at the meeting provided a bit of background to their experience of diversity and why they felt it was so important that the league recognises the issues.
“The league committee had held a discussion about the brief for the meeting and a number of ideas around contributing to league decisionmaking, continually exploring issues around diversity and keeping up to speed with football issues in the wider environment.
“All members present provided some of the issues they had faced. There have been racist and homophobic incidents and officials and the league have found them difficult to address.
“The key point was made around the team manager’s role in the mood and control of the players and spectators during games.
“Another key point made was the support to referees to make decisions and to be supported otherwise issues are not addressed at the right time and therefore become a bigger issue further along the line.
“I also asked the group if they would be happy to contribute to league decision making by being a focus group and this was agreed.
“The group wants to consider developing a series of dates to celebrate different cultures and make clubs aware of the diversity of the league and the benefits.
“The events will include religious dates and the reasoning behind rainbow laces etc.
“A future action will be to develop a diversity and inclusion charter for clubs to sign up to and further group discussions will be arranged.”