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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Paddy Power ads back push to tackle homophobia in football | Paddy Power ads back push to tackle homophobia in football |
| (1 day later) | |
| Bookmaker Paddy Power has teamed up with gay rights charity Stonewall for an ad campaign that aims to tackle homophobia in football. | Bookmaker Paddy Power has teamed up with gay rights charity Stonewall for an ad campaign that aims to tackle homophobia in football. |
| The campaign, Right Behind Gay Footballers, will see print ads and billboards run with provocative straplines. | The campaign, Right Behind Gay Footballers, will see print ads and billboards run with provocative straplines. |
| One ad uses the line "Over 5,000 footballers and none of them are gay. What are the odds on that?", while another runs with the message: "We don't care which team you play for". | One ad uses the line "Over 5,000 footballers and none of them are gay. What are the odds on that?", while another runs with the message: "We don't care which team you play for". |
| Rainbow laces have been sent to all Premier League and Football League clubs, plus the 42 teams in the Scottish Professional Football League, to highlight the issue. | Rainbow laces have been sent to all Premier League and Football League clubs, plus the 42 teams in the Scottish Professional Football League, to highlight the issue. |
| The campaign is also being pushed on social media, with the backing of supporters including Joey Barton – who has had almost 1,000 retweets of his call for players to support the cause by wearing the laces – Stephen Fry and Labour leader Ed Miliband. | The campaign is also being pushed on social media, with the backing of supporters including Joey Barton – who has had almost 1,000 retweets of his call for players to support the cause by wearing the laces – Stephen Fry and Labour leader Ed Miliband. |
| "Show that people's sexuality shouldn't be an issue. Join the rainbow laces movement," tweeted Barton. | "Show that people's sexuality shouldn't be an issue. Join the rainbow laces movement," tweeted Barton. |
| The aim of the campaign, which has been developed by ad agency Lucky Generals and and CP+B, is not to force players to "come out" but to try to change attitudes in the UK. | The aim of the campaign, which has been developed by ad agency Lucky Generals and and CP+B, is not to force players to "come out" but to try to change attitudes in the UK. |
| "In most other areas of life people can be open about their sexuality and it's time for football to take a stand and show players it doesn't matter what team they play for," said a Paddy Power spokesman. | "In most other areas of life people can be open about their sexuality and it's time for football to take a stand and show players it doesn't matter what team they play for," said a Paddy Power spokesman. |
| In Britain, no professional footballer has come out and continued his career since Justin Fashanu in 1990. He stopped playing in 1994, but hanged himself four years later, aged 37. | In Britain, no professional footballer has come out and continued his career since Justin Fashanu in 1990. He stopped playing in 1994, but hanged himself four years later, aged 37. |
| "It's time for football clubs and players to step up and make a visible stand against homophobia in our national game," said the Stonewall deputy chief executive, Laura Doughty. | "It's time for football clubs and players to step up and make a visible stand against homophobia in our national game," said the Stonewall deputy chief executive, Laura Doughty. |
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