Chairboys sign Charter

Wycombe Wanderers have become the first football club to sign the Government Charter for Action to rid sport of homophobic and transphobic abuse.

The Charter was launched by Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone in March this year and commits signatories to challenge discrimination both on and off the pitch.

Wycombe Wanderers joins the growing list of supporters for the campaign including rugby union's Ben Cohen and tennis star Martina Navratilova, The Football Association, the Lawn Tennis Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board, the Rugby Football League and the Rugby Football Union.

Featherstone said: "I congratulate Wycombe Wanderers on being the first football club to sign the Charter. They have joined 30 different sports and over 2000 other organisations and individuals who have pledged their support so far, and I applaud them for doing so.

“I encourage everyone who loves football to sign the Charter and help kick homophobia and transphobia out of sport for good."

Matt Bloomfield, representative for the Wycombe Wanderers’ Professional Footballers' Association, said: "We're delighted to sign the government Charter for Action because it's important to tackle all forms of discrimination in the game that we all love. Homophobia and transphobia have no place in society and everybody should be able to enjoy sport, regardless of who they are and where they've come from.”

Bloomfield signed the Charter on behalf of the club ahead of last night’s fixture with Charlton Athletic at Adams Park tonight while members of the public can back the campaign on Facebook.

The FA’s General Secretary, Alex Horne, commented: “The FA is committed to making football accessible for everyone and we’re proud to be a part of the Government Charter for Action. We’re delighted that Wycombe Wanderers have joined the growing number of members of the football family, including the Premier and Football Leagues, to sign the Charter.  Wycombe Wanderers should be praised for being the first club to sign the Charter and I hope that clubs across the country follow their lead and help our sport make a stand against homophobic and transphobic abuse.”

The Charter is part of the government’s Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward strategy and Jason Hall, founder of the Justin Campaign which was set up in 2008 in memory of Justin Fashanu, the world’s first openly gay professional footballer who took his own life in 1998, said: “It’s really good to see that Wycombe Wanderers have shown leadership in demonstrating their support for the Government’s Charter. It’s a pity though that other professional clubs have still yet to do the same. It really is time now for them all to take a stand along with Wycombe Wanderers and ‘get with the programme’.”

Wycombe Wanderers' signing coincides with a week of action by ‘Kick It Out’ - football's equality and inclusion campaign. Kick It Out works throughout the football, educational and community sectors as well as working with players at professional and grass roots, clubs, managers and fans to challenge discrimination.