Irish Sports Council Corporate Plan Submission
GLEN ~ Gay and Lesbian Equality Network
Introduction
1. GLEN ~ Gay and Lesbian Equality Network welcomes the opportunity to make a
submission on the Irish Sports Council’s forthcoming Corporate Plan. GLEN is a nongovernmental organisation working to achieve full equality and inclusion for lesbian, gay
and bisexual (LGB) people in Ireland, and protection from all forms of discrimination.
2. As an organisation GLEN believes that high ambitions are necessary in order to achieve
high quality outcomes and is committed to delivering ambitious change both for our
communities and for Ireland. We are working to achieve a future in which LGB people
can make an even more creative and dynamic contribution to the social, economic and
cultural development of Ireland.
3. GLEN focuses on influencing policy and on working strategically and in partnership with
mainstream organisations such as Government, regulatory authorities, trade unions and
other social partners in order to achieve change.
4. GLEN’s community development vision is:
“To achieve the visible, safe, sustainable, connected and dynamic participation of all
members of the lesbian, gay and bisexual community in the rich and varied tapestry of
Irish life.”
5. As such we share a common goal with the Irish Sports Council in seeking to increase
participation in sport. Equally we share the views of the Irish Sports Council’s current
strategy that sport has the “capacity to be a driver for social change and by targeting
specific groups can address issues of exclusion and inequality”.
GLEN ~ Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, August 2008
6. This submission will make the key following points:
 LGB sporting events can make a very significant contribution to increasing
participation in sport, raising the profile of sports in general and make important
contributions to the economy.
 LGB clubs have an important role to play in supporting greater numbers of LGB people
participate in sport with all the attendant benefits that playing sports has for the LGB
community.
 Homophobia or anti-gay bias is an issue in some sports and acts as a barrier to LGB
people’s particiaption. There are a range of actions sporting bodies are currently
taking to address these issues where they exist and there is considerable scope for
further action in this regard
 The Irish Sports Council can play a key leadership role in supporting LGB people
participate at all levels of sport in Ireland.
Supporting LGB sporting events and clubs
7. 2008 marked a terrific year for gay sport in Ireland. The Bingham Cup – also known as
the Gay Rugby World Cup was hosted by Dublin’s Emerald Warriors gay rugby team, with
outstanding support from the IRFU Leinster Branch and title sponsors Paddy Power
bookmakers. Thirty-two rugby teams qualified from North America, Europe and
Australasia. The event was deemed a huge success for rugby in general, for bringing gay
rugby in Ireland to a new level of organisation and popularity and making a significant
contribution to the economy.
8. In September 2008 Outrowers Ireland (part of OutIreland – gay and lesbian sports
network) will be hosting an international rowing weekend for gay rowers from Denmark,
Germany, The Netherlands, UK and Ireland on the River Shannon with the event being
sponsored by Waterways Ireland.
9. A large number of Irish athletes were among the 5,300 athletes who participated in the
2008 EuroGames, the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Championships in Barcelona.
10. There are approximately ten LGB sport clubs including running, rugby, soccer, tennis,
swimming and golf. Some of the clubs are affiliated to their respective national sporting
bodies while others are not. LGB sports clubs have an important role to play in
encouraging and supporting LGB people play sports. Many LGB people felt that sport was
not an option for them when they were in school for example. As such LGB clubs are
perceived as being more accessible for those LGB people who either dropped out of sport
or are taking it up for the first time. LGB clubs play an important additional role in being a
place where LGB people can meet other LGB people and tackle the isolation that some
LGB people experience. As such LGB clubs do very much help to “address issues of social
exclusion.”
11. Many clubs would benefit from development support from their sporting bodies or from
local sports partnerships. The issue of access to sports grounds is a particularly pressing
issue for some clubs. Some clubs such as the Emerald Warriors have got significant help
from their sporting bodies while others have not. Others have had to invest huge efforts
to be recognised by their sporting associations.
GLEN ~ Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, August 2008
Supporting LGB Participation in general sports clubs and organisations
12. Homophobia – the irrational fear or hatred of LGB people or anti-gay bias – biased
attitudes, opinions or actions against LGB people both serve to act as barriers for some
LGB people either in participating in sport or in deciding which sports they feel they would
be more welcome to participate in. Some LGB people feel that team sports may be less
inclusive and either hide their orientation or choose more individual sports where there is
less interaction and less complications in disclosing their sexual orientation.
13. A recent doctoral thesis which interviewed 18 elite Irish lesbian athletes indentified a
number of specific barriers by those surveyed1. A number of interviewees reported issues
such as being dropped from international and other representative teams because of
homophobic attitudes within management and an absence of any appeal mechanisms or
clear messages within the particular sporting body that discrimination based on sexual
orientation was unacceptable. Other interviewees referred to being passed over for
leadership roles and media work because of their orientation, despite being senior team
members or having relevant skills. Others referred to the barriers to getting sponsorship
if they were open about their sexual orientation. Interviewees also referred to the very
personal hurt and isolation they experienced in the dressing rooms or during overnight
tours or trips because of attitudes by fellow team mates to their sexual orientation.
14. There are examples of sporting bodies that have played strong leadership roles in
supporting the particiaption of LGB people in their sports. The fulsome support of the
IRFU for the Bingham Cup is one example. In the UK, the English Football Association has
been quite clear in recognising homophobia as an issue within football and has taken a
number of proactive actions to address it. Homophobic remarks are treated in the same
manner as racist remarks in their football ground regulations. The F.A. supports the
annual International Day Against Homophobia. They have proactively supported LGB
football clubs and are developing a network of LGB liaison officers to reduce the barriers
that LGB may experience in participating in and supporting football. Sports England
promotes equality of participation across all sporting bodies through its Equality Standard:
A Framework for Sport where sporting bodies are supported to ensure that proactive
measures are taken to make their sports inclusive of LGB people, women, people with
disabilities and so on.
1
Dr Linda Greene (2007) Lesbian Athletes and Their Experiences of Gender and Sexuality in Competitive Sports
in Ireland (C. 1980-2007). PHD Thesis. University College
GLEN ~ Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, August 2008
Recommended Irish Sports Council Actions
15. The Irish Sports Council can play a very significant leadership role in supporting the
participation of lesbian, gay and bisexual athletes through its work in supporting
participation, elite performance and national sporting bodies.
16. Specific actions could include:
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Supporting the development of LGB clubs through outreach and development work by
local sports partnerships.
Encouraging national sporting bodies to support LGB clubs through their development
functions in accessing funding, acquiring facilities or grounds and so forth.
Include sexual orientation in equality work with mainstream sporting bodies through
equality codes, good practice workshops etc.
Incorporate inclusive practice training in the National Coaching and Training
Programme to ensure that coaches are aware of potential barriers that LGB people
involved in sport may experience and equip coaches with inclusive practice to ensure
that LGB participants’ performances and enjoyment of sport is not hindered by antigay bias or homophobia.
Support sports promotion campaigns within the LGB community.
17. GLEN would be happy to support the Irish Sports Council in whatever way we could, and
we would welcome the opportunity to meet with the Sports Council to explore the issues
raised in this submission.