The Premier League is set to introduce a new LGBTQ+ inclusion campaign after ending its partnership with Stonewall, the charity behind the widely recognised Rainbow Laces initiative.
Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, launched in 2013, became a fixture across English football, with players from all Premier League clubs wearing rainbow-coloured laces and captains donning rainbow armbands to promote acceptance and equality. The campaign aimed to support LGBTQ+ rights and foster inclusivity among fans and young people.
After over a decade of collaboration, the league will now lead its own campaign, timed to coincide with LGBTQ+ History Month in February, The Telegraph report.
“Rainbow Laces has benefited from a wide range of partners with a natural ebb and flow reflecting cultural and sporting changes,” a Stonewall spokesperson told BBC Sport.
“Alongside other sporting bodies the FA has been instrumental in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion at the grassroots level and more recently the Women’s Super League has taken up the mantle as the women’s game has grown – enabling Rainbow Laces to reach more diverse audiences.”
Despite Stonewall’s efforts, recent reports from Kick It Out reveal an alarming increase in discriminatory incidents in football, including rises in sexism, transphobia and faith-based abuse, with racism continuing to be the most prevalent issue.
Controversies around players’ attitudes to rainbow armbands have also made headlines. Last season, Ipswich captain Sam Morsy declined to wear one due to religious beliefs, while Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi faced criticism for personalising his armband with the phrase “I Love Jesus.”
Additionally, Manchester United scrapped plans for LGBTQ+ support jackets after a player refused to participate.
With no openly gay or bisexual players currently in the Premier League, and the surge in discriminatory incidents, some question the timing of the split from Stonewall – an organisation highly respected for its work in LGBTQ+ advocacy.
Details of the Premier League’s new campaign are still under wraps, but as the league presses “reset,” there’s hope it will introduce a meaningful and effective initiative that advances equality rather than undermines it.
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