LONDON (AP) — The ATP has teamed up with You Can Play, a group that seeks to increase LGBTQ inclusion in sports, after 75% of tennis players who responded to a survey on the men’s tour said they had heard homophobic comments from others. colleagues.
The circuit announced Friday that it has entered into a multi-year educational partnership with You Can Play, which in turn has worked with the NHL (hockey), MLS (soccer) and NASCAR (motorsports).
Last year, the Association of Professional Tennis Players carried out the anonymous online survey among hundreds of players. Sixty-five players responded and some agreed to be interviewed.
The ATP said its findings “indicated a strong fear of rejection, isolation from others on tour, and loneliness as potential barriers for LBTQ+ players publicly disclosing their sexuality to others.”
There are currently no openly gay competitors in men’s tennis.
The circuit said that a majority of those consulted “support the ATP adopting measures to combat homophobia.”
