Coaches 'normalising' the use of homophobic language in Australasia says shock survey
An Australian professor is calling for the All Blacks to start an anti-homophobic campaign in a bid to stamp out gay slurs.
Monash University’s Sport Inclusion researcher Erik Denison told Newstalk in New Zealand that people would listen to the All Blacks given their international celebrity status.
A recent Australian study, that surveyed many Kiwi players, revealed that homophobic language runs deep in sport culture, with comments like “gay” and “poof” regularly used among sportspeople.
Last week, Wallabies player Israel Folau had his contract terminated after he came under fire for anti-gay posts he made on social media. His comments sparked a storm of controversy and focused attention of homophobia.
#LISTEN The strong evidence of anti-gay culture in male sportshttps://t.co/yBSFDHdV57 pic.twitter.com/w7ioFCHC3K
— Newstalk ZB (@NewstalkZB) May 23, 2019
And the Crusaders Super Rugby team are currently embroiled in claims several players made fun of a gay man in a South African fast food restaurant while on tour, imitating his voice and making limp wrist gestures.
The players have denied the allegations but Rugby New Zealand has launched an independent investigation to examine the claims.
Monash University’s Sport Inclusion researcher Erik Denison told Newstalk ZB people in sport and wider New Zealand would listen to the All Blacks if they were to launch a campaign to stamp out homophobia.
Alongside NZ Rugby we are jointly reviewing allegations about player behaviour in South Africa. We are distraught about the accusations but because of their serious nature we are formalising the investigation to allow both sides to be heard – https://t.co/f24oj5pFXe
— Crusaders (@crusadersrugby) May 21, 2019
The All Blacks needed to talk to communities about the harm homophobic language could cause – be it on or off the field. Denison said it should be easy to stop the language if high-profile people, like the All Blacks, got behind such a campaign.
The Australian study into homophobic culture in sport raised concern over the continued use of homophobic language among young Kiwi and Australian rugby players – despite New Zealand Rugby’s push for zero tolerance and public backlash from the Israel Folau saga.
The research found that 75 per cent of the Kiwi and Australian teenage rugby players surveyed had heard derogatory words such as “fag” and “poof” used in the past two weeks, with 53 per cent admitting to having used the slurs themselves.
— Israel Folau (@IzzyFolau) May 17, 2019
“There is an alarming number of players and coaches using the language,” Denison told the New Zealand Herald. “Coaches, especially, are normalising the language.
“It creates an environment and culture that is not fun and is one of the main reasons gay and straight people leave the sport. It’s not banter. It’s harmful and we need to focus on the harm it can cause.”
Denison said homophobic language coincided with homophobic attitudes. The attitude had gone, but the homophobic language was still being used as normalised language, he said.
WATCH: The fall-out from the Crusaders controversy in South Africa
Comments on RugbyPass
Interesting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to comments