Seven players from Australia’s Sydney rugby league team Manly Sea Eagles have refused to play out in a rainbow jersey in support of the LGBTQ community. They cited “religious, cultural and family concerns” as reasons.
The boycott is causing a lot of discussion, in which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also intervened. He hopes the matter will be settled quickly because it is “a good thing that sport is becoming more inclusive,” he said on Wednesday.
Their decision has consequences for the pros: Because of their resistance, they will not be used in the important game against the Sydney Roosters on Thursday.
“In this specific case, I also feel for these players. They were not included in the discussions about the shirt,” said Manly manager Des Hasler, referring to the club’s decision to send the players onto the pitch in the Pride shirt. “At the very least, they should have been consulted.”
At the same time, Hasler apologized to all minority groups and the LGBTQ community. “Our intention was to be sensitive and passionate about advocating for all the different groups that face inclusion issues on a daily basis,” he was quoted as saying by the AAP news agency.
Instead, due to poor management, the action “has caused considerable confusion, discomfort and pain for many people,” Hasler said. He himself will proudly wear the rainbow shirt, the coach added.
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Source: WORLD