Charter To Stamp Out Homophobia In Sport

A Scottish charity is asking sporting bodies to help stamp out homophobia and transphobia.

Groups including the SFA, SportScotland and Waterski Scotland are among the first to sign up to The Equality Network's LGBT sports charter. They want more lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to be involved in sport, and for abuse to be tackled.

The Charter has been developed in response to the findings of a report, which found significant barriers for LGBT people participating in Scottish sport. It will be launched during sportscotland’s national equality seminar; an event bringing together representatives of Scotland’s sport’s governing bodies. The charter includes a set of five principles which aim to remove the barriers to sport for LGBT people and tackle homophobia and transphobia in Scottish sport.

Scott Cuthbertson from The Equality Network said:

"Whether they hear anti-gay chanting at a football match, or whether they hear language they don't like, or want to use facilities but aren't sure if they're LGBT friendly, we want to send a message that LGBT people are welcome to participate in sport.

"Scotland is a completely different place to what it was 10 tears ago, we've recently seen the introduction of same sex marriage, so LGBT people have got a lot to celebrate, but there's still some things we need to do, and sport is one of those areas (we need to change)."