What is the KNVB doing to improve the LGBTQ+ climate in the football world? | NOW

The KNVB will sail on the NOC*NSF sports boat on Saturday during the Canal Parade through the Amsterdam canals. The union notes that there is still a lot to gain in terms of LGBTIQ+ acceptance in the football world. The KNVB wants everyone to feel welcome in football, but how does the association want to achieve that?

Where men’s football was still a rarity last year when Jake Daniels (17) of the English Championship club Blackpool came out, women’s football has many top players who openly fall for women.

A survey by the Mulier Institute among 118 professional football players last year showed that the players gave a score of 4.6 for gay acceptance in football.. That means that almost half of the players find it difficult to come out. This is partly due to their fear of consequences for their professional career, chants in stadiums and the prevailing macho culture.

The KNVB says it is undertaking various initiatives to improve the LGBTIQ+ climate. The association does this in collaboration with the John Blankenstein Foundation, which is committed to LGBTIQ+ acceptance in sports. The foundation was founded by Karin Blankenstein, chairman and also the sister of former top referee John Blankenstein, who was openly gay.

Karin Blankenstein says there is still a lot to gain in terms of LGBTIQ+ acceptance in football. “The word gay is still used too much as a swear word in the football world, but also outside it. You hear it so much in the dressing rooms and football stadiums, but also at school. We never hear: ‘What a straight ball’. It always becomes used in a negative context, so there is still a desperate need for something to be done to improve the LGBTIQ+ climate.”

Also according to Paul van Dorst, founder of the supporters association Roze Kameraden, something has to change in the current football world. “It makes no sense to look the other way, because it’s still not going well. We can wait for it to be solved, but that waiting has no result so far.”

The gym of the founder of the Pink Comrades became the target of homophobic slogans.

The KNVB is participating in the boat parade for the third time, this time as part of the NOC*NSF sports boat. The football association is one of the eleven participating sports associations. The sports boat wants to propagate that the representation of lhbtiq+ in sports is becoming normal. In addition to the NOC*NSF sports boat, there is another boat that speaks out against homophobia in the Dutch football landscape. A number of ‘pink’ supporters’ associations are present on this boat, which are known for their fight for LGBTIQ+ acceptance in football.

In previous years, Mark-Jan Fledderus, then a player of Roda JC, was the only active male football player present on a football boat. Louis van Gaal and the then already retired Pierre van Hooijdonk and Frank de Boer also took part in the boat parade. Football players Stefanie van der Gragt and Merel van Dongen participated in the Canal Pride of 2019 on the NOC*NSF sports boat.

The KNVB has been standing since 2017 around the international coming out day silent on lhbtiq+ acceptance. In 2022, this will take place on the weekend of October 14. During the entire playing weekend it is central that everyone in football should be able to be themselves. Some clubs play in rainbow uniforms that weekend, and all captains in the Eredivisie, Keuken Kampioen Division, Eredivisie Women and Eredivisie futsal play with the so-called OneLove captain’s armband. In addition, rainbow corner flags are placed and ESPN broadcasts reports that focus on coming out day.

According to Blankenstein, even more grandiose can be achieved during this playing weekend, also because homophobic chants could be heard even during this specific weekend. “You have to do this together – with the umpires, the stadium speaker and the two teams playing. They have to make a big statement together during a match.”

The KNVB, the clubs and those involved must continue to discuss LGBTIQ+ acceptance in the football world, Van Dorst emphasizes. “Instead of drawing up all kinds of plans, we should sit down and continue to monitor the status of LGBTIQ+ acceptance.”

The rainbow corner flag in De Kuip during last year’s coming-out play weekend.

In addition to the aforementioned expressions, the KNVB has a plan of attack against all forms of discrimination in 2020 published. In it plays lhbtiq+ discrimination also plays a role. In Our Football Is Everyone’s the pillars of awareness, cooperation, identifying misconduct and sanctioning offenders are central. Our football belongs to everyone – together we eliminate racism and discriminationis the motto.

The workshops organized by the John Blankenstein Foundation are part of the KNVB plan. “Our workshops are mainly about the experiences of (former) athletes who have experienced how important it is that everyone in the team is accepted and can be themselves,” says chairman Karin Blankenstein. “We mainly give the clubs tips about what can help within the club for athletes who belong to the LGBTIQ+ community.”

While the foundation had to knock on the door of football clubs a few years ago, the agenda is now well filled. “There are already 150 workshops planned in the Dutch sports world, and this is only going to be more.”

According to Van Dorst, the KNVB’s plan of attack is only a start in terms of improving the LGBTIQ+ climate in the football world. “It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s not where it needs to be yet.” The chairman of the Pink Comrades misses the pursuit of the plans at the football association and the clubs. “The implementation of the plan must be harmonized, it is well written in the plan. But treat gay discrimination the same as racism, stick to your own protocols.”

Another part of the KNVB’s plan is the OneLove campaign in which role models of the Dutch women’s and men’s teams speak out in favor of connection and against various forms of discrimination. The OneLove campaign runs throughout the year and focuses not only on the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, but especially on connection in football and against all forms of discrimination.

Internationals Virgil van Dijk and Jill Roord are part of the KNVB’s OneLove campaign.

Apart from the annual moment during the international coming-out day, the KNVB also responds to lhbtiq+-related incidents that take place on and around the football field. An example of this is the statement by the KNVB in response to the gay-unfriendly chants that were heard during the practice match between the Netherlands and Germany.

In recent years, matches have been suspended due to racist chants. The KNVB did not find the homophobic chants during the Orange practice match a reason to intervene during the game. “Of course we will discuss it afterwards and guidelines can be adjusted. But the protocol has been drawn up in advance in consultation with various parties, inside and outside the KNVB,” says the spokesperson.

At an earlier stage, the KNVB explained why the protocol was not tightened up in response to the homophobic chants during the Netherlands-Germany.

According to Blankenstein, cessation of matches in the case of homophobic chants is more difficult because of the visibility. “The difficult thing is, compared to racist chants, that the lhbtiq+ group is less visible. With racist chants you know who they are aimed at, this does not apply to gay-unfriendly chants.”

Georginio Wijnaldum wore the OneLove captain’s armband during the eighth finals of the European Championship as a statement against the anti-gay law in Hungary.