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Joey Barton modelling the laces. Adam Davy/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Paddy Power begins campaign in support of gay footballers

The bookmaker is looking to address homophobia in the sport and has sent players from 134 clubs their ‘rainbow’ laces.

IRISH BOOKMAKER PADDY Power has kicked off a new campaign to deal with the issue of homophobia in football.

In conjunction with Stonewall, a charity which fights for the rights of the LGBT community, the ‘Right Behind Gay Footballers’ campaign is aiming to highlight the fact that there are no openly gay professional footballers in Britain.

Rainbow-coloured laces have been sent to every player at 134 clubs in the Premier League, English Football League and Scotland’s professional divisions with Paddy Power asking them to “show the world they’ve got the balls to support gay players” by wearing them in their boots this weekend.

We love football but it needs a kick up the arse,” said Paddy Power on the bookmaker’s blog. “In most other areas of life people can be open about their sexuality and it’s time for football to take a stand and show players it doesn’t matter what team they play for.

“Fans can show they are right behind this by simply tweeting using the #RBGF hashtag whilst all players have to do is lace up this weekend to help set an example in world sport.”

It has already received significant support on social media sites while QPR midfielder Joey Barton has publicly got behind the cause. There is a limited stock of the laces at Paddy Power shops across Ireland and Britain.

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Credit: Twitter/Joey7Barton

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Credit: Twitter/PaddyPower

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7 Comments
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    Mute Cormac Cahill
    Favourite Cormac Cahill
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    Sep 16th 2013, 2:57 PM

    Good idea. But i cant help but think that Paddy Power are still not taking it that seriously… this campaign is called ‘right behind gay footballers’. Could they not have used ‘supporting’ or ‘together’?…

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    Mute Conor Donnelly
    Favourite Conor Donnelly
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    Sep 16th 2013, 3:09 PM

    My question is why is Joey Barton such an advocate of this when he called Thiago Silva an “overweight ladyboy”. He’s not exactly the most tolerant of people in that sense, when he uses terms like that in a derogatory manner.

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    Mute Sportsmadmonkey
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    Sep 16th 2013, 5:03 PM

    How is calling someone an overweight ladyboy homophobic? There are fat people in Thailand that would kill to be called that!

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    Mute Carthage Buckley
    Favourite Carthage Buckley
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    Sep 16th 2013, 6:24 PM

    He has a gay uncle and has spoken out in support of gay footballers before. I can’t stand the man but he has consistently supported this issue so deserves some respect for that.

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
    Favourite Diarmaid Twomey
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    Sep 16th 2013, 5:07 PM

    Have a look at Paddy Power on Twitter, constantly mocking and being very personal about personal appearances and traits of sports stars, if mocking a homosexual got them better press they’d be doing that! I unfollowed them on Twitter and Facebook cause of the tripe they write! This is NOT about gay rights, it’s about Paddy Power trying to outdo Ryanair with free PR! Just sayin!

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    Mute Phil Clarke
    Favourite Phil Clarke
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    Sep 17th 2013, 2:15 AM

    Who cares if it generates free PR for paddy power? That’s what commercially backed campaigning is all about. Paddy Power get behind a good cause and raise awareness for an important issue and all you can do is moan about how they’re only doing it for marketing reasons. What does it matter if they get a Boost to their PR? I think you’re being cynical, fair play to Paddy, and their social media is top drawer you a missing out on some gems.

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    Mute Gerry Quilty
    Favourite Gerry Quilty
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    Sep 21st 2013, 8:25 AM

    Proud to be an employee of paddy power my nephew Paul cogsy quilty proudly wore the rainbow laces and scored two goals for Waterford utd last night well done paddy and cogsy get behind this campaign please

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