Valcke (left) and Blatter (right). Photo via CBC.ca
Today, Football v Homophobia, along with the Federation of Gay Games (www.gaygames.org), the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (www.eglsf.info), and AllOut (www.allout.org), delivered the following letter to FIFA President Mr. Sepp Blatter and FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke:
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Dear Sirs,
On behalf of the undersigned, we are writing to express our distress about reports of discriminatory behavior by Nigerian Women’s Football League chair Dilichukwu Onyedinma. According to press out of the country yesterday (March 4, 2013), following the recent annual General Assembly, Onyedinma has officially announced that lesbianism is now “officially banned from Nigerian football.” As you know, this is in direct contravention of FIFA’s anti-discrimination policies. Indeed, Mr. Blatter, in an interview on FIFA’s official site, dated August 12, 2011, you state very clearly that “[t]he sexual orientation of a player or coach is a private matter. People have to be able to live their lives free from all forms of discrimination.”
We have broached this subject with you before. In June 2011, just two months prior to Mr. Blatter’s interview, we wrote to FIFA about reports of discriminatory behavior by Eucharia Uche, the coach of the Nigerian women’s football team competing in that summer’s World Cup in Germany. Three months later, Mr. Valcke responded with a request for proof, which we supplied on September 20, 2011. Over one year has passed and we have received no further communication on this matter.
Mr. Blatter, Mr. Valcke, what is the status of the investigation into Nigerian Coach Uche’s discriminatory behavior? And what will FIFA do to sanction Mr. Onyedinma and the Nigerian Women’s Football League in their discriminatory practices ?
We very much look forward to your prompt response
Emy Ritt (emy.ritt@gaygames.net)
Kurt Dahl (kurt.dahl@gaygames.net):
Co-presidents Federation of Gay Games
Armelle Mazé (armelle@eglsf.info)
Klaus Heusslein (klaus@eglsf.info)
Co-presidents European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation
Lou Englefield (lou@footballvhomophobia.com)
Keph Senett (keph@footballvhomophobia.com)
Football v Homophobia
André Banks (andre@allout.org)
Executive Director
AllOut.org