FC Barcelona has signed a collaboration agreement with Panteres Grogues and is committed to fighting against LGTBIphobia
under the International Day to Combat LGTBI-phobia in Sport, which is celebrated this February 19, the FC Barcelona has signed a collaboration agreement with Panthers Grogues, LGTBIQ+ multi-sports association, "to fight against homophobia and discrimination for reasons of sexual orientation in sport and in society, as stated in the recent statutory amendment of the Club" according to a press release from FC Barcelona. The signing ceremony was attended by the institutional vice president Elena Fort, Joan Miró, president of Panteres Grogues and maite laporta, responsible for the department of Diversity and Inclusion of FC Barcelona.
This agreement will lay the foundations for cooperation between both entities and, in the case of FC Barcelona, focuses its interest on training and advice on gender diversity, identity and sexual orientation, as well as the fight against LGTBI- phobia in the world of sports.
FC Barcelona reaffirms its position of combat homophobia and discrimination and promote gender equality, as established in its Statutes, which in the Assembly last October were modified to include this commitment to defend the rights of people in its Magna Carta. Adding that the Club “will promote the democratic values of equality and non-discrimination” and “will fight for the eradication of all sexist, homophobic and racist attitudes in the social and sports fields".
Sport as a tool for social normalization
The Blaugrana club has chosen Panteres Grogues to sign this agreement that must develop these objectives and take advantage of the experience of this multi-sports association that works on the specificity of homophobia in the world of sport. Panteres Grogues is the first non-profit LGTBIQ+ sports club in Spain, and it originated in 1994 with the aim of making society aware of a model of leisure practice, especially non-discriminatory sport.
Panteres Grogues currently has 1.200 members divided into a total of 29 sports, wellness and cultural sections, with management based on volunteering. In addition, it carries out training and advice to clubs, associations, administrations and universities on the specificity of homophobia in the world of sport. He is a member of various Catalan federations, LGTBI associations, councils of public institutions and the EGLSF (European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation). Among other actions, it organized the EuroGames Barcelona 2008 with more than 5.000 participants from all over Europe.
On February 19, in memory of Fashanu
On February 19, the International Day Against Homophobia in Sport is commemorated in memory of Justin Fashanu, the first footballer to publicly declare his homosexuality in 1990. February 19 is the day Fashanu was born, in 1961, and the figure of this English player was chosen who suffered rejection and discrimination because of his sexual orientation and who finally became He committed suicide at the age of 37 after being accused of sexual abuse by a teenager, although the police had dropped the case due to lack of evidence. His legacy is the Justin Fashanu Foundation, which fights against homophobia, racism and the mental problems of soccer players.
According to statements by Elena Fort, institutional vice president, “We are very satisfied with this agreement with Panteres Grogues, the first non-profit LGTBIQ+ multi-sports club in Spain, which is also based in Barcelona and has extensive experience in working on the specificity of homophobia in the world of sports. This agreement will help us achieve the objectives that we set ourselves with the recent statutory modification of article 4 of the Functional Scope, among them, promoting gender equality and non-discrimination for reasons of sexual orientation and fighting for the eradication of all sexist attitudes , homophobic and racist in the social and sports field. It is an agreement that we will materialize in concrete actions over the coming months".
Joan M. Miró, president of the CE Les Panteres Grogues, declared: “PFor us who belong to the LGBTIQ+ community, it is very important to link entities as significant as FC Barcelona in our fight against LGTBI-phobia in general, and specifically in sport. We hope that it will be the first in a long list of clubs that are actively involved in the fight against LGTBI-phobia. The introduction in its Statutes of non-discrimination for reasons of sexual orientation and gender identity was a first step that required putting into practice and a good way to start is with the training of its employees, since it is through the knowledge that respect for diversity is achieved. That FC Barcelona has chosen Panteres Grogues as a partner to carry out this task is recognition of the task that we began more than 25 years ago".
