Britain’s Football Association has come under fire for postponing a controversial anti-homophobia campaign.

With plans to launch the hard-hitting advertisement at Wembley Stadium and over YouTube, getting football clubs to screen it at half time and to try to start a viral campaign over the internet, the advertisement has suddenly been delayed. The Football Association is reviewing the content of the advertisement.

The campaign, Let’s Kick Homophobia Out of Football, follows a similar one that tackled racism in the game.

The Guardian states that the only English footballer to come out while playing professional football was Justin Fashanu. Black and Britain’s first player to be paid over UK$1 million for his efforts on the field, Fashanu took his life in 1998.

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was involved in developing the anti-homophobia campaign. While Tatchell says he voted for a more positive advertisement with some of the world’s high-profile players denouncing homophobia, he says the more confrontational advertisement chosen is still ‘valid’.

The Football Association says the advertisement won’t disappear, and that the delay is only a postponement, not a cancellation of the launch.

Tatchell says that the new group the Football Association has formed to re-work the campaign is less representative and that many gay and lesbian groups have not been included.

The advertisement can be viewed at The Guardian.

Original Text from:

http://www.samesame.com.au/news/international/5077/Football-Fails-To-Tackle-Homophobia-With-Advertisement.htm