Football Victoria has partnered with Proud 2 Play to continue pursuing the vision of a world where all LGBTI+ people can lead healthy and active lifestyles.
Proud 2 Play are working with Football Victoria along with a number of Victoria’s largest sporting bodies including Cricket Victoria, Tennis Victoria and Athletics Australia to ensure inclusion for all LGBTI+ people in sport.
The work, funded through Sport and Recreation Victoria’s "Strengthening LGBTI+ Inclusion In Sport" project, is centred around providing members of the sporting community with education and support on LGBTI+ inclusion in sport, and assisting sporting organisations to implement more inclusive policies.
Football Victoria CEO Peter Filopoulos said the partnership was a perfect fit for the game accessible to people from all diversities.
“Inclusion for the LGBTI+ community to play, coach, volunteer and support the game at all levels and abilities is something Football Victoria strives to achieve,” Mr Filopoulos said.
“Football Victoria partnering with Proud 2 Play on initiatives to make the game more inclusive is essential to realising our organisation’s core values.”
“Proud 2 Play are incredibly excited to be working with this group of leading sporting organisations to create a future where LGBTI+ people can participate in sport as their true selves without fear of discrimination or harassment” Proud 2 Play’s Partnerships Coordinator, Luke Major, said. “It is also encouraging to know that Sport and Recreation Victoria are committed to a more diverse and inclusive Australian sporting community.”
Proud 2 Play will be hosting a series of education sessions throughout May to educate employees of these organisations on LGBTI+ inclusion as well as on the ground sporting community members on dealing with discrimination on the sporting field. Proud 2 Play will also be hosting a Pride Space at the upcoming Australian Athletics Championships at Sydney Olympic Park’s Athletics Centre to celebrate Athletics Australia’s commitment to LGBTI+ inclusion in their sport.
Picture: Rachel Bach, ByTheWhiteLine