Austrian football stands up to homophobia

Stakeholders in Austrian football have combined forces to promote diversity with the production of a guide to best practices for combating homophobia in the sport.

The Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) is teaming up with the Austrian Bundesliga and the Vienna Institute for Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC) to publish Football for Diversity. In doing so, it joins the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) in taking a strong public stand against discrimination towards gay, lesbian and transgender participants across all forms of football.

"The Austrian Football Association is the largest specialist sports association in the country and all its members are role models with the capacity to support processes of social change," said ÖFB president Leo Windtner. "It is important to promote a climate of respect, compassion, tolerance and integration in all areas of our society."

The aim of the brochure is to provide information and contacts related to the subject of homophobic discrimination, while giving definitions that may assist the education process to advance the social inclusivity of football. It has been backed by national team players Christian Fuchs (FC Schalke 04) and Markus Suttner (FK Austria Wien), the women's national team captain Viktoria Schnaderbeck (FC Bayern München), Austrian referee Harald Lechner and Damir Canadi, coach of top-flight club SCR Altach.

The brochure can be ordered free of charge and can also be downloaded at www.oefb.at or www.fairplay.or.at